Accidents
by iluvzanessa94
Summary: Gabriella Montez, a 24 year old lawyer, goes on a two-month trip with business tycoon, Troy Bolton. Thinking that this is the best course of action, the two friends re-discover old feelings through a one-night stand. As the saying goes, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."
1. The Trip

"You're sure about this?" I asked once I finished packing up my suitcase. My good friend, Troy Bolton is inviting me on yet another whirlwind adventure like he's done in the past. I couldn't blame him for being such a spontaneous guy. He never fails to surprise me. He and I were going on two-month trip. For him, it was all business. "It'll be fun Gabs. Trust me." I remember the last time he told me to trust him and then he decides to stab me in the heart by breaking up with me. Of course, that was seven years ago. Troy and I went to the same high school, East High. I had just moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. I didn't like moving all the time. My mom knew that I didn't like it as well. She told me that it'll be fine. What I didn't expect was to end up dating East High's basketball guy. Troy was and still is the hottest guy I have ever laid eyes on. He was eighteen and I was seventeen. Guess I was just lucky to be in the same grade as he was. High school had its glory days. Everyone talked about us in the hallways. Girls would swoon over him, but Troy was mine.

After high school, we parted ways. I went off to Stanford to pursue my degree as a lawyer and he went off to UC, Berkley. As much as we tried to be together during our college years, it just wasn't enough. After pre-law, it was straight to law school. Two years into Stanford, Troy and I decided that it was time to break up for good. It's not like we stopped being friends, but the distance was definitely an issue. Just shortly after our break up, he started to date Sharpay Evans. Eventually he married her, but I was never invited to the wedding. After all, Sharpay and I weren't exactly on the best of terms. Troy earned his degree in business. This two-month trip meant a lot to him. When I asked him about Sharpay, he said that she had plans of her own and wouldn't be able to join him. Did he immediately think of asking me? I had hoped that he thought of asking someone else to join him.

I was unsure about the whole situation. Why? One: I was deciding on going with Troy on this business adventure, and two: I still have feelings for him that never left. These feelings were still there since our Junior year of high school. Now at 24, I still clung on to the small chance that Troy and I can hopefully still be together. There were plenty of available guys, but none I found an interest in. I don't understand why he would ask me, of all people. It's been two years since the break up. Troy is married, and I have some inclination that he's up to no good like always. "You always say that." I told him.

For the seven long years that we have dated, we were inseparable. Basically, we were attached at the hip. Every down fall in our relationship, Troy always found a way to bring it back up. "I have never let you down before." Guess he's right. He's made believe every time that he's telling the truth. I can't remember a situation where he's lied to me. Maybe it's the way he looks at me with those blue eyes of his or maybe it's the way his voice sounds over the phone. It was so deep, but so sexy at the same time. His mood constantly reminds me of the happier days we've spent together that it makes me second guess why we broke up in the first place. Honestly, why did the distance ever become a factor? "I'll see you tomorrow at the airport." We both hang up. I sighed and sat on the bed. I wonder if it's wrong to have feelings for a married guy. I have read and been told otherwise. Should I trust my gut feeling about going on this trip with him? Should I just cancel it altogether? Why should I reopen old wounds? It's never a good idea to do so. I hate feeling like this.

I think about the others I've dated in the past. I can't compare them to Troy. Why can't I let him go? It was easy for me to do so with other guys. Why am I still holding on to a sliver of hope that Troy will call me and say that he's divorcing Sharpay forever? For one moment, I think about running into his arms because I'm glad that he is mine and no one else. He's like no other guy in the world. He's sweet, caring, genuine, and I'm still in love with him. Just how am I going to get through these two months with him. It's going to be interesting for sure.

The next morning, I arrived at the airport. Troy was standing outside. How long had he been standing there waiting for me? He could just wait for me inside. As I approached him, I noticed that he is wearing a dark blue sweater and dark jeans. His sleeves were halfway rolled up his arms. It reminds me of a date he had taken me out on the summer before college. The blue goes well with his eyes. His hair was slicked back. He didn't have to try to impress me at all. "You sleep well last night babe?" He asked me as we both check-in. He used to call me 'babe' all the time when we were together. It gave me butterflies in my stomach, made my knees weak, and made my heart race a hundred times faster. He would say it with an added smile or maybe even a sly smirk. I nodded, but it wasn't true. I couldn't stop thinking about spending two months with Troy. "You could sleep on the plane and rest your head on my shoulder like you always do." He added with a smile.

We check our bags in and proceeded to the gate. The waiting time was the worst with airports. "You seem anxious." He reached over and touched my hand gently, but I pulled away. I stood up and went to walk around. It allowed me to clear my head of any thoughts that were bothering. There was one thought that would never leave my mind for it lingered since the break up. Our first stop was in New York City and ended our trip in Los Angeles. The plane touched down at the John F. Kennedy International airport. We headed over to the baggage claim to pick up our suitcases. After calling a cab and dealt with being stuck in traffic for 20 minutes, we arrived at our hotel. We would be staying in New York for two weeks. It gave us very little time to sightsee, but it was still worth the trip. As we entered our room, I noticed that there was only one bed - a queen sized bed. Apparently we were sharing a bed. I thought as Troy brought in our suitcases. I took out my phone to call my mom that I had safely arrived in New York. Booking a two-month leave as a full-time lawyer was difficult. I wonder how Troy managed to pull the strings with my boss. I figured that he has a way with words to charm them.

My mom didn't know I was with Troy. She was well aware that I would be taking a two-month leave and that was it. She adored Troy and was saddened to hear about the break up. "I can book a separate room." he said. I hung up the phone after talking with my mom. Guess he had seen the look on my face when I saw one bed in the room.

"No, it's fine. It's just... wouldn't Sharpay be jealous?" I asked.

"Sharpay has no clue that I went on this trip with you. She doesn't know that I asked you. I could sleep on the floor, if that's what you want." I shook my head and sat down on the bed. I'm still trying to get over the fact that you're married and I can't stop loving you. His phone rang before I could say a word to him. He stood and stepped into the bathroom. Sharpay must be checking in to see if he arrived in New York. I was still jet lagged from the flight and felt like taking a nap. I opened up my suitcase, only realizing that I had forgotten to pack pajamas. I bit my lip gently and glanced over at Troy's open suitcase. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I put on one of his shirts. I took off my clothes and set them on the chair. I pulled out a white V-neck short-sleeved shirt and put it on. I climbed into bed. I had fallen asleep by the time Troy had come out of the bathroom.

When I awoke from my nap, Troy was lying in bed beside me with his eyes closed and wasn't wearing a shirt. Typical. The covers were covering his bottom half, so that only his chest was exposed leaving me room for imagination. I admired his chest for a brief moment, feeling the temptation to touch him. I didn't want to wake him and decided to take a shower. The warm water ran over my body, across my shoulders and down my back. It felt so good after being on that long plane ride. At least now I can think. My mind was so cluttered, distracted from the events that have happened so far. Lately I've been looking at things negatively. _You should think about the positives Gabriella._ One positive is that this could be a fun trip. I get to see places I've dreamt of seeing with Troy having to drag me along. This could be one hell of an adventure if I choose to make it that way, and I guess I shall.


	2. City Lights

There was so much to explore in the beautiful city of New York. The traffic was definitely going to be something to get used to, but I think we'll be able to survive two weeks here. There are many well known famous landmarks but little time to go sightseeing. All these business meetings Troy has to go to is just tedious. Guess I'm going to have to face seeing the sights alone. Sometimes think that this is more than just a business trip for Troy. He hasn't said anything else about it because I haven't really spoken up about what he thinks this trip really is. I'm relieved that he didn't take Sharpay. I'm glad she had other plans. I don't know why he had chosen to marry her in the first place. She had been going after Troy for the longest time. Why did he decide to go after her now? "How long will this meeting last?" We got into a cab together to take us to the venue where the meeting would be held. I'm sure a lot of people were thinking we were together. Most didn't seem to care whether we were a couple or not. The only person that would care if she found out we were on this trip would be Sharpay. "About an hour or so, but we'll have plenty of time for sightseeing." Troy was excellent at trying to make me feel better. Guess he just wanted to appease me.

From what I recall, his previous meetings took more than an hour. I remember back in California that he attended a meeting in Los Angeles. He asked me to go with him and of course, I accepted. The meeting was so long, I think I was just about to fall asleep in my chair. I didn't answer Troy and gave him a small nod. I wouldn't mind walking around New York by myself. It would give me time to think about my current situation. I could visit Times Square and go to Central Park. The park is beautiful during this time of year. Troy and I arrive at the venue and headed to the conference room where Troy would be discussing world issues that were upsetting him. He has always been such a talented spokesperson. After all, he did speak at our high school graduation. Obviously, I sat in and listened to what he had to say. As insightful as everything sounded, I became bored. I had no interest in business matters since I myself am not a business major. I have discussed certain political issues that have bothered me in the past, but everyone has issues with the government from time to time.

When the hour past, everyone shook hands and the two of us were dismissed. "That wasn't so bad right?" He asked. _I need a drink._ I just nodded. Troy was curious as to what was going on with me. I didn't want to open up to him just yet. I felt that it wasn't the right time to. "What's going through your mind Gabs?" I walk towards the entrance. He caught up and stopped me from opening the door.

"Troy."

"Tell me what's wrong. The way you're acting is giving it away." He crossed his arms over his chest. Did he think that this was going to get me to say anything about what was going through my mind? I shook my head and told him that nothing was wrong with me. "Besides, I don't want to talk to anyone about it, especially you." I knew that had sounded a bit harsh, but I was tired of having to constantly be asked if I was okay or not. Everyone is always concerned about my well-being and not their own. For once, I'd like for them to stop asking me questions. Troy and I dated in the past. I hardly cared about his concern for me. I know he's just looking out for me, but I don't need an adult. What was in the past should _stay_ in the past. It shouldn't be brought up in the present. I exited the building and walked down the street. Troy followed behind me, but I ignored him as we walked. He was confused. I was going to leave him confused for the remainder of the trip. He's going to question himself as to what he did wrong. He did nothing wrong. It's not entirely his fault. It's not his fault for making me feel this way about him.

Before heading back to the hotel, we grab ourselves some lunch. I didn't talk to him during lunch either. It was hard for me to hold back from saying anything because he kept asking why I am choosing to ignore him. Arriving back at the hotel, I entered the bathroom and took a shower. It did not help with everything that had been going through my mind. I could not stop thinking about Troy and Sharpay. Those two were not compatible at all. Sharpay was such a rich slob. Her parents practically spoiled her throughout her childhood. They didn't even date as long as Troy and I did. I've known Troy since the very day I moved to Albuquerque in high school. I should be the one married to him and not her. I don't think they were even friends at all. Troy never really mentioned Sharpay's name in conversations that we've had together. I mean, it's not like he had anything nice to say about her to be honest. I don't know what to believe anymore. The only thing I'm sure of is that I have feelings for Troy that I cannot seem to control.

I stepped out of the shower after I was done and put on the shirt that I had fallen asleep in. I slipped on a pair of panties and proceeded to open the door. Troy stood before the door wearing nothing else but a pair of boxer briefs. Sometimes I wonder about him. How long has he been standing there? "Can we talk?" I walked past him and set my dirty clothes in the dirty pile. "Please Gabriella? I'm worried about you."

"What do you want to know Troy?" I stood and turned to face him. "You asked me to go with you on this trip and I'm here. I'm wondering why you didn't ask anyone else. What more do you want from me?" Troy looked down and let out a sigh. I attacked him. I was just stressed out from everything. I walked up to him and took his hand to caress it. I apologize for my sudden outburst. He nodded and wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me towards him. I wrapped my arms around his waist. We stood like that for what felt like the longest time. He rubbed my back which was quite comforting. We pulled away and stared into each other's eyes for a split second before pulling away. I turned away so he wouldn't see how red my cheeks had turned. Though in that very moment, I knew Troy and I still had that spark. It was that same spark we had the day we met. It was at a New Year's Eve party at a ski resort in Utah. We were on that stage together. I didn't know someone like him could sing. We just had that instant connection that never seemed to go away. I wondered if he felt it too. I doubt it, now that his feelings were directed towards someone else. I kept my eyes averted and heard the bathroom door close.

I exhaled and realized that I have been holding my breath for so long. I got into bed, under the covers and faced the window. I closed my eyes, but I wasn't tired just yet. It was already midnight, but I was running on Mountain time. About twenty minutes later, I heard the door open and felt Troy get in bed beside me. "If sharing-"

"Sharing doesn't bother me at all. It's not the sleeping arrangement Troy." I interrupted.

"Then tell me what it is." I turned to face him and saw that he was looking at me with those blue eyes of his. He was so intent on getting me to tell him the answer. I was unsure if I should tell him now or just wait until we get back home. It was then I figured it would be too late then. "Why did you want me to join you on this trip?" I asked him. There was a short pause. It felt a lot longer. Many questions were going through my mind. Should I have asked? Should I not have asked? What is he going to say? Will I be afraid of what his answer will be? I don't know. Inside, I was panicking but outside I did try to stay calm. The silence in the room was growing, which made me more paranoid than before. "I enjoy your company." That was all he had said and nothing more.

. . .

I awoke in the middle of the night. When I checked the time, it was 3am. I get out of bed and head out to the balcony. I closed the door behind me. I needed some air to clear my mind. I wasn't sure if I believed what Troy had said to me. My phone rang and saw that my best friend was calling me. "Hey Taylor." I smiled. Taylor McKessie was one of my really good friends that I have told almost everything to.

"So, how was that flight?" Taylor knew about the two of us going on the trip together. I lean against the railing and let out a sigh. It was so good to talk to someone about what I was going through. She was an understanding person. "It was good, long. I don't know if I can last two weeks, let alone two months Tay." I told her. "I definitely still have feelings for him." Taylor has been there for me through the good and the bad. She has supported me with every decision when it came to Troy. She was there to comfort me when Troy and I had broken up. I wish she was here with me right now. It would be easier for me to talk to her face to face. "Tell him now. Don't wait until after the trip ends." She was the best person to go for advice.

"You want me to tell him how I feel? He's married to Sharpay. He also said that he enjoys my company. I'm guessing he's implying that he may still like me too. He's so hard to read Tay."

"He doesn't want to see you upset Gabs." Taylor was right. I sighed and told her that I'll figure something out on my own. I hung up the phone and sighed. What was I to know? I headed back into the room to see that Troy was still asleep. Guess he's just tired from the long day he's been having. At least someone isn't having a restless night. I think before getting in to bed. I closed my eyes. When I tried to fall asleep, all I could think about was when would be the right time to tell him that I still have feelings for him.

. . .

It was nearing the end of our two week stay in New York. Troy and I weren't given enough to talk, but we were able to go sightseeing. During these two weeks, Troy had fifteen different conventions to talk at which took hours upon hours. To see all of New York City in the day that we were given to go sightseeing deemed almost impossible. "I'm wishing that this wasn't a business trip." We were packing our bags and getting ready for our next stop on this two-month trip. I wondered if he had meant to say that out loud or keep it to himself. Either way, I didn't want to know the answer. I stayed silent and finished packing. Tomorrow night was our last night in the city. It definitely wouldn't be the last night of sharing a hotel room with Troy. The last time we shared a room together, let alone a bed, was back at the apartment we had in California. It was a drive for both of us going to college and back. We both had part time jobs to keep up with rent and school to top it off. It was tiresome, but worth it. Eventually Troy moved out and lived with Sharpay once they were married. Now, I had moved back home to Albuquerque to be closer to my mom and my friends.

"You haven't talked much this entire trip. I can book you a flight back home." I understand his concern for me, but I was afraid to say anything else. I walked into the bathroom to take a shower. I didn't feel like responding to him. Troy followed in right behind me. "What are you doing?" I asked him.

"I want to join you."

"I don't want you too. Wouldn't Sharpay be angry if she found out?" Sharpay and I were more like acquaintances, but we never hung out. We only met briefly through some common friends and that was it. Troy closed the door behind him. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"I feel uncomfortable doing this."

"What is there to be uncomfortable about? We've seen each other naked." A smirk spread across his face. Whoever this was, it wasn't Troy. I mean, he doesn't always act like this around me. Occasionally I would see this side of him from time to time, but not 100%. He began to take off his shirt and unbutton his pants. Immediately, things began to get heated very fast. I didn't move, but only watched. He stood before me in all his glory that I had to avert my eyes away. I didn't want to become mesmerized by what he had offered to me. This gave me disconcerting thoughts. He walked up to me and turned me around. I felt his hand at my back as he unzipped my dress. My breathing shortened and my heart raced. The dress dropped to my ankles. His hands were at my hips. He pulled my panties down so they were around my ankles. His chest was pressed against mine. We were touching, skin to skin. This entire situation felt utterly wrong. "Troy..." He turns me around with his hands gripping my arms and pulled me in for a kiss. I fought against him, but he kept his hold around me.

I began to push him away. "Troy, please." I begged until the tears came to my eyes. His hands unraveled. I dropped to the floor and cried. Everything had been happening so fast that it all unfolded right before my eyes. Troy left the bathroom, thinking that it would be best to leave me be. I took my shower. He knew I needed some time alone. I got dressed. Shortly after, he took his shower. For tonight and the next, we hadn't spoken a single word to each other. Troy vowed to never try that again, unless I wanted to. I don't think I ever will, but I'm not for certain that I'll stick to that vow. He even slept on the floor and gave me the bed. Guess he was probably thinking that he couldn't help himself around me. We checked out on the day we had to leave and headed to the airport. "I don't want the entire trip to be this way." Troy reached out and touched my hand. He caressed it gently. I looked down and pulled away. I stayed silent, but he continued on. Why was he so persistent?

"Gabs, please? Talk to me."

"What do you want me to say?" Before a word could exit his mouth, it was time to board the plane. I wasn't ready to tell Troy everything. The decision to tell him about what I was really feeling inside was mine alone to make. I knew what his intentions were, but I couldn't give in to that. It was all wrong. Why would he do it if he was happy being with Sharpay? Unless, he isn't happy with her. He hardly talks about her. What I had seen in his eyes the other night, it was something I hadn't seen from him in a long time. Did that mean he felt the same way about me too? Did he still have some part of him that still is hoping we'll be together again? Keeping these feelings and these thoughts to myself a secret, one day it will all come out.


	3. Miami Beaches

_"One day we'll go to Miami together. We will be married. We can fly out to the Bahamas, or maybe take a cruise out to the Caribbean for our honeymoon. How does that sound?" The idea of being Mrs. Bolton sounded so good in my head. I smiled and closed my eyes while resting on Troy's chest. "That sounds like a good idea."_

At the time, a Caribbean cruise was the best idea we've ever had. We would graduate from college, work until both of us were financially stable to support ourselves, get married, and have children of our own. Though, nothing ever really goes according to plan. We entered the hotel room, only to find two queen sized beds. I set my suitcase down and opened the balcony doors to gaze out at the view. It was spectacular. Immediately, I was at a loss for words. Troy and I would be staying in Miami for a few weeks. I've always wanted to see the sunrise, especially on the Eastern coast. I never had the chance to during our stay in new York. Troy was inside taking his shower. We hardly spoke on the plane. How am I going to explain to him the fact that I haven't stopped loving him since the break up? I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I have tried to move on and date other guys, but they were hopeless. They didn't give me the same sense of adventure Troy has given me.

When I entered the room, Troy emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. "How's that view?" He asked. I almost thought that he was talking about himself or me. "I remember the day you told me when…"

 _"We should have a room that we could watch the sunrise together. I mean, it's not necessary but I would like that. I just love how the colors change in the sky." I would ramble on for another twenty minutes about my dream honeymoon. How Troy was able to put up with me? I don't know, but he did. We were both in college, but it still didn't hurt to dream. We were staying in our one-bedroom apartment that we shared in California. He smiled and took my hand as he caressed it. "I promise I'll get us a room with the perfect view of the ocean, just for you. I want us to watch that sunrise together."_

He did not let me down by keeping that promise. I wish he wasn't married to Sharpay Evans. I wish he would just call me Mrs. Bolton forever. "I don't know how I could ever thank you. It's no Caribbean, but it's close enough." I told him. He smiled softly and proceeded to change into clothes to sleep in. It was my turn to take a shower. As I emerged from the bathroom when I was finished, Troy had retreated to the bed he had chosen. Again wearing one of his shirts, I walked over to the bed closest to the bathroom. He had already fallen asleep. Lying in bed, I couldn't stop thinking about the moment we had in the bathroom in New York. His eyes were telling me that they were wanting something more. It had been a while since the last I had seen him act like this. The next morning, Troy wasn't in bed and wasn't in the bathroom either. I checked the balcony, but it was empty. I sighed and saw the small notepad on the bedside table.

 _Went to a meeting. Be back soon._

 _Love,_

 _Troy_

Love… Troy? I shook my head, not wanting to go into that deep dark place in my mind again. Getting dressed, I grabbed the extra room key and headed down to the lobby to eat brunch in one of the restaurants. Being led to a booth that was secluded from the wandering eye of the public, I ordered my drink from the waiter.

 **Where are you?**

My phone rang and saw that it was a text from Troy. I assumed that he was back at the room. He must've had an early meeting and didn't want to wake me. I sent him a reply and ten minutes later, he arrived. He took a seat in front of me as the waiter brought out my drink. Troy orders his drink while I ordered my food as well. The waiter walked away, probably disappointed that I was on a "date" with Troy. It's not easy to fool him that we were together. Our food was served to us, and then we began to eat our brunch. "How was the meeting?" I asked and took a bite of my food.

"Stressful. I wish you were there to keep me entertained." I only nodded because I didn't know what else to answer with. We ate in silence, but a few people were glancing over at our direction. Why did people have to stare? "You're not bothered by the people staring at us?"

"And you are?" he asked. We finished our meal as Troy pays for the food. We entered the main lobby and exited the hotel. I looked over at him and saw him smile. He grabs my hand and held it. I tried to pull away, but he kept his hold on me. "Let go." I said.

"You're only making this worse. Accept it Gabs."

"What about Sharpay?"

"Oh, forget about her. You're with me, just have fun." Finally I was able to get him to release his hand from mine. I don't want to start this again with him. "Most words you've spoken to me since we arrived here yesterday." We were heading towards the direction of the boardwalk. I rolled my eyes at him and looked through the clothing racks. Glad I can go outside and get some fresh air. I wanted to get my mind off of the situation at hand. At least it's better than staying inside a stuffy hotel. "Can we get over what happened in New York?" I asked him.

"Oh sure, right after you tell me what's going on. Is it Sharpay? Are you afraid of what she'll say or something?" When I didn't answer, he continued on to questioning me and tells me how desperate he is to want to know the answer. Guess he doesn't like the fact that I'm not talking to him. He hated it when I gave him the silent he deserved it. Troy was worried. He had nothing to be worried about. It's not like he's going to suddenly care about the fact that I'm still in love with him. We've dated for five years. I'm sure that he's pushed his old feelings about me aside and made room for new ones. All I know is that he's unpredictable when it came to certain topics. Since the start of this trip, he has been acting differently. Thank god he got rid of his jock-like façade. "Let's just enjoy the trip okay? I don't want you to start worrying over nothing." For the remainder of our stay in Miami, Troy and I didn't talk to each other. He would go to his meetings and immediately afterwards, he would come back to the hotel without saying anything to me. He's not going to get an answer out of me, not now and not ever.

. . .

Troy's phone was ringing while he was in the bathroom taking a shower. Sharpay was calling to check up on him. It was the third time this week she's called. I wondered if she was suspicious. After all, Troy hadn't been calling her lately to tell her that he was okay. If I didn't pick up the phone, she would most definitely think something was up. I let the phone keep ringing and decided that it would be best to let his voicemail pick up instead. The phone stopped ringing when Troy walked out of the bathroom, again with a towel wrapped around his waist. He's definitely making this second nature. "Did anyone call?" he asked. Those were the first words he has said to me this entire week. I glanced over at his phone. He walked over to pick it up and called Sharpay back. "Hey, sorry I was taking a shower. I left my phone out on the table, so I couldn't answer." He paused for a few moments before hanging up and setting his phone back down on the table. For the few minutes Troy was talking on the phone with Sharpay, I couldn't help but reminisce to the very day Chad called to ask Troy about something important.

 _"Hey, what's up?" Troy brought his phone to his ear. He stood before me, towel wrapped around his waist. I bite my lip, holding back the temptation to want to unravel the towel to see what was underneath. I glanced up at Troy, who seemingly paid no attention to me while talking with Chad. The two of them were like brothers. Chad Danforth has been best friends with Troy since preschool. All sorts of thoughts ran through my mind about what I could do to Troy. The temptation was too strong for me to intentionally unwrapping the towel from his waist. As I let the towel fall to the floor, Troy knew. His breathing became staggered and was now stuttering over the phone. Guess he was trying to hide the fact that his girlfriend was keeping herself busy. He also hoped that Chad wasn't suspicious of what was happening on Troy's end. "Uh… hey man, can I call you back in five minutes?" Troy asked. I glanced up at him with a smirk on my face._

"Why are you smiling?" asked Troy. I quickly shook my head, keeping the thought to myself. He nodded slowly and gave me a look as if he knew what I was thinking. "Look, I can apologize for my indecency but I know what-"

"Troy, it's okay. I'm glad that we're here now." I interrupted. At least it's just you and I here in Miami. Should I tell him? He agreed and I let out a sigh. I walked out to the balcony and he followed me of course. I noticed that he had slipped on a pair of shorts. We both stood outside to glance out over the ocean. This moment would've been perfect if we were married. Troy would just wrap his arms around me. I would just be content with the thought of that. In my own little world, I wanted Troy and he wanted me. Life would be simple. We would live in a beautiful house together, somewhere that hits close to home. I would be his and he'd be mine. Life would be amazing if it went the way I wanted.

 _"Promise me that no one would get in between us or try to ruin us. Even if someone does, promise that we'll be friends." I glanced over at him as we stood out on our balcony together at our apartment. He smiled and whispered the words 'I promise.'_


	4. The Strip

"How many meetings do you have left?" Troy and I were sitting outside, eating at a local eatery. It was such a beautiful day outside. Though, this weather could be a few degrees cooler. We had two weeks in Vegas before flying out to our last few stops in California. I guess you can say I'm a bit relieved that we only had a few stops before heading back home to Albuquerque. Still, I was undecided about whether or not I should tell Troy about how I feel. I'm not sure about what I was most afraid of: his reaction or if he felt the same. "17." he replied. I sighed and took a sip of my coffee. I don't know how much more of this I could take.

"You don't have to go. I'm not making it mandatory, but I wouldn't mind if you joined me." A smirk spreads across his lips. I rolled my eyes at him. Although I enjoyed this and was having fun, it felt like forever since we've spent a day together like this just as friends. Despite that we have dated in the past, the bond of our friendship has never changed or fallen apart. Guess that's what I liked most about Troy. We finished our lunch and began the walk back to the hotel. The two of us were just joking around and laughing on the way back. "I haven't heard that laugh in a long time." Troy said as we entered the room together.

"Well, we both know that only a few people can make me laugh." I closed the door behind us after entering and took off my shoes. He turned around and placed his hands on my waist. What was he doing? He smiled, "Good knowing I'm one those few people." I watched as he leaned in slowly for a kiss, but I turned my head away. Why was he doing this? He let out a sigh and pulled his hands away from my waist.

"Sorry, force of habit. I can't seem to help myself around you." He said the second part quietly, but I heard him. I couldn't help myself around him either. I'm a bit surprised at the control I had from wanting to jump the gun right then and there. I decided to take a shower. I walked over to my suitcase and took out a set of underwear and entered the bathroom. I made sure the bathroom door was locked because I didn't want Troy to pull he same stunt as he had done in New York. I took my shower and let the warm water over my body. I could not get Troy's touches out of my head, let alone reminisce about what his smirks always do to me. When my shower was finished, I changed into my set of new underwear. I figured that he would most definitely like this one. "Is that new?" Troy emerged from the balcony when I walked out of the bathroom to put my clothes with the dirty pile. He gazed at me with those baby blues. I motioned to what I was wearing and smirked, "Oh this? I just bought this in New York. I'm going to get some rest." With that being said, I got into my side of the bed and closed my eyes.

. . .

Troy had gone off to another meeting, but he left a note on the bedside table. What was a girl to do in Caesar's Palace alone? I put on a dress and headed downstairs to eat. Again, I was eating alone but it wasn't the first time. Arriving at one of the eateries, someone had called out my name. I turned around to see that it was Brandon. I smiled as he approached me and gave me a hug. "Gabs, how've you been?" he asked me. Brandon Elliot and I had gone to school together before I had moved to Albuquerque. We had briefly dated around Freshman year in high school. "I've been good." I smiled as we pulled away. I was just now getting an even better look at him. He was a brunette with bright green eyes. He had nice tan skin that honestly I was jealous of. He was also around the same height as Troy. He asked me why I was in Vegas. I told him that I was on vacation to enjoy myself. "As am I." said he. "Do you want to join me for breakfast? It's my treat." Despite everything that has happened between us, he was still such a nice guy. He hasn't changed at all since Freshman year. I agreed to join him as we entered the food place. We were soon seated at a booth. The waiter took our drink orders. "You look good. I mean, it's been... god knows how long." I smiled after the waiter served us our food and drinks.

"You've gotten more beautiful since the last time I saw you." I blushed at his compliment. Before we dated, I used to have a small crush on Brandon. After I had moved, we lost contact. "Are you sure you're here alone? I heard you were with.. uh... what's his name... Troy, is it?" I may have mentioned Brandon at least once while Troy and I were dating. They hardly knew each other, but Troy immediately didn't like him. He shouldn't be judging someone he didn't even meet once. "Play nice." I reminded him.

"What? He's not even here Gabby. You're not together, are you?"

"He's married." Brandon took a bite of his food and drank from his glass. I knew what it meant when he did that. It reminded me of when we were dating that we only communicated with each other just by facial expressions. "I hope he's happy with his new wife. I'm sure he was interested in you or still is."

"Well, things have changed since then Brandon." I looked down and messed with my food thinking about a party our closest friends I was invited to. It had taken place two weeks after Troy and I had broken up.

 _"Yep, going solo... again." I muttered under my breath. I grabbed a glass of champagne and took a large gulp. I don't understand why I had to be here. I was sent an invitation that I was contemplating on whether or not I should go. "Why didn't you go with Troy?" Taylor asked me. There were so many answers I could tell her. I told her that he didn't ask me to go with him. We were celebrating our friend's birthday, Chad. He was friends with Troy as well. The two of us were having a nice time conversing with each other when the entire room became quiet. Troy was well-known for his grand entrances, but he was even more known for his dates. He and I broke up two weeks ago, so I acted like it was no big deal that he brought someone new. This someone knew made girls envious of her, well... it was none other than Sharpay Evans. I couldn't stand to be around the sight of the two of them. Everyone knew that I was trying to avoid Troy. "Gabriella, it's so good to see you." Sharpay smiled. She and I exactly weren't the best of friends, but I only met her a week ago when Troy brought her to our 5-year high school reunion. "You too Sharpay. Excuse me, I have to go congratulate Chad."_

"Still holding a grudge against her?" Brandon asked me. He knew that Sharpay and I didn't like each other. I shook my head and continued eating.

"Not anymore. I'm a better person now." He nodded slowly; and of course, he didn't believe me. As we continued to eat, I couldn't stop thinking about the last time the two of us were on a date. I'm not saying that what we're doing at the moment _is_ a date, but it felt a lot like one. "What's the real reason why you're here?" asked he.

"Troy joined me to join him on this two month business trip. He asked Sharpay, but she had other plans. I feel like he should've asked someone else. I don't know why he asked me. I didn't really want to go, but he insisted that I go. Guess he wanted someone to keep him company."

"Do you want to know what I think Gabs?" No, I don't want to know Brandon. Sometimes you're right, and I hate it when you're right. "I think he's still in love with you. I mean, there could've been lots of others. Maybe he could've asked his childhood best friend, if he has one. All I'm saying is that don't assume things." I rolled my eyes at him and took a sip of my drink.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. I'm right. Just go talk to him since he is the one who had chosen you to go with him. You never know, he might feel the same way." I didn't want to admit that Brandon was right, but he was. I sighed and told him that I will confront Troy about it tonight. A few hours later, I retreated back to the hotel room and saw him sat on the bed with his eyes looking downward at his phone. I sat down beside him on the bed and asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Just got off the phone with Sharpay. I was looking for you. You weren't in the room."

"I was just having lunch with an old friend." He nodded, but I was more surprised when he didn't ask who. Something was definitely bothering him. I took his hand and caressed it gently. He held the phone in the other. "If you want to talk, I'm here for you." He let out a sigh that sounded like he had been holding it in for what seemed to be the longest time. He set his phone down on the bedside table and turned his head to look at me. "She's suspicious. She's thinking I'm seeing someone." said he.

"Are you?"

He chuckled lightly, "Wipe that smirk off your face."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I watched him stand and head over to the balcony. I did the same. He had his hands placed on the balcony when I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. The roles were now reversed. "Troy, I know something's up. You come out here to clear your mind, but it's clouded." He turned around and faced me. His hands placed on my waist.

"You do it too Gabs. Besides, Sharpay _is_ right. I am seeing someone. You, but she doesn't know that yet. I think I'm dealing with something that I can't explain. I don't know who to talk about it with, except for you. You're the most understanding person I know. I think... I have things feeling in the back of my mind that I still might have feelings for you." He admitted it. Does this mean it's my turn? I puled away from him and walked back inside. He followed me inside and grabbed my arm. I turned and looked up at him. At that moment, I regretted looking into his eyes. "How does no one else know?"

"Chad knows. I'm telling the truth. It's been bothering me since the day we went to New York. I need to know if... if you still have feelings for me. If you don't, I understand but I think you know what the real answer is." I don't understand why he's saying all of these things. I wonder if Taylor told Chad told Troy. If she said a word, I would fly back home only to reprimand her. I didn't want to face my feelings now. I didn't want to tell him. I wasn't ready to confront him. I wasn't planning on opening up all of those old wounds, not anytime soon. The wounds that have been healed since the day we broke up. I was only going to get hurt in the process. "Troy..."

"Gabs, please. I need to know."

"But Shar-"

"Forget about her. Forget about what everyone else is going to say. Just think about us and think about what we had together because I still do. I'm not going to deny it because you and I did have something. We shared something together. I know I married Sharpay. I love her, but you... you're a complete different person. You and Sharpay are nothing alike. You know how to laugh and how to have fun. You dedicate your life to making people happy. You never think of yourself sometimes. Do something for yourself this time. Do what you've always wanted to do since the day we left for New York." Troy was just talking nonsense. I didn't exactly know what point he was trying to make. Yet, in some form, Troy was right. I couldn't hold it back any longer. I had to let my feelings out. "Screw it." I went up to him and kissed his lips. he wrapped his arms around my waist. He had always been such a passionate kisser. His hand found the zipper to my dress and unzipped it. The dress had fallen to the floor. I removed his jacket from his shoulders and began to unbutton his shirt.

He loosened his tie as I slipped off his shirt. I unbuttoned his pants and let it fall to the floor. I wrapped my arms around his neck. He grabbed a hold of my legs. He lifted me with both arms and carried me over to the bed. He laid me down and climbed on top. He kissed my lips and pulled away, looking down at me. "You're sure you want this?" he asked. I nodded as he kissed me again. A hand roamed down my body, feeling it near the line of my panties. His gesture only made me spread my legs open. He positioned himself between my legs and slid in.

The next morning I awoke with my head resting on Troy's chest. His arm was wrapped around me. The sun was casting a perfect light. The moment he opened his eyes, his eyes shone. "Hi." he smiled.

"Hi." I smiled back and felt his hand softly caress my head. I nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck as he did so. He showed me his famous smirk that made all the girls swoon, that made me swoon. "Promise what we did here never leaves the room." I nodded in reply and kisses his lips. Troy and I both took a shower. We got dressed to go grab some breakfast. A part of me was glad to have done what we did, but there was another part that regretted the decision the two of us have made. Whatever happens, it's Vegas right?


	5. California Dreaming

Five more meetings to go. I thought to myself. I was trying to pay attention to what was going on. These speeches made me tired. I let out a yawn and caught a glimpse of Troy catching a glance over at me. It must've been the fifth time he's looked over at me, maybe more. Guess he was just worried about me. I hadn't been getting enough sleep lately during this past week. Our trip in California has only begun. In just a few days, we were headed off to Los Angeles after staying in San Francisco. He asked, "Are you feeling alright?" We walked out of the room and emerged from the building. He called us a cab and got inside to take us back to the hotel. I told him that I was fine and was only lacking sleep. I wasn't feeling a hundred percent here. Maybe it was all of the traveling that we've been doing. The time change between cities had its affect on me. We entered the room and almost immediately I retreated to the bed. Troy helped me with my shoes and told me to get some rest. I nodded and fell asleep.

When I awoke, it was dark outside. Troy had fallen asleep in bed beside me. I checked my phone to look at the time. It was only 2am in the morning. I must've underestimated myself when I sad that I hardly got enough sleep for the entire week. Quietly I got out of bed and grabbed my phone. I stood out on the balcony and closed the doors behind me. I had to tell someone about what happened between Troy and I back in Las Vegas, but we promised each other that no one should know. Yet, I needed to tell someone. I decided to call Brandon. He picked up after two rings. "You're up?" He sounded surprise over the phone. I was more surprised why he was awake at 2am as well. I rolled my eyes and told him that I had just now woken up after crashing earlier today. "I didn't get much sleep this week." I told him and sat down on one of the chairs. "Troy spilled out all of his feelings for me when we were in Vegas. I couldn't do the same. It's not that easy, but Troy knew. He knew that I still feel something for him."

"Does Sharpay know?"

"Of course not. Neither he or I want her to know. Troy told me that she's getting suspicious. She thinks he's seeing someone else while being over here. I don't think he's told her that I'm with him yet."

"I can't blame her for being suspicious. I'd be if you and I were together."

"Brandon, you're not helping."

"Sorry. What are you going to do if she finds out?" I hadn't really thought of that. I told him that I'll figure something out, maybe go and ask Taylor for advice. He reminded me that he's just a phone call a phone call away and added that I should get some rest. I hung up the phone and stood up. Troy was standing there. How long had he been there? Did he listen to our entire conversation? Or did he just show up last minute? I said, "You scared me."

"Who were you on the phone with?"

"Brandon." Troy did know about Brandon and I dating in the past. He didn't know about our breakfast date in Vegas. Immediately, I could tell how jealous Troy looked. He had no right to be, no reason. "We're not together anymore. Look, he was in Vegas and surprised me at the hotel. We had breakfast-"

"I don't want to hear it." Troy walked back into the room. I followed in after him. I grabbed his arm to stop him. "What were you two talking about?"

"I promise I wouldn't say a word about what we did. I told him that Sharpay was suspicious about you having an affair, nothing more. Listen to me," I brought my hand up and touched his cheek. "What you and I did in Vegas, it's going to be our secret. If someone finds out, it's going to mean that one of us said something. I know not to say anything about what we did. My friends and your friends won't know. Troy, I can't fight this anymore. We both know how I feel about you and vice versa. Let's go back to bed." He nodded. The two of us retreated to the bed. I turned on my side. Troy's arm wrapped around me. He held me close as if not wanting to let me go. It led me to think about why he ever did.

. . .

Los Angeles was our last and final stop on this two-month trip. Troy and I traveled to many different cities together. I felt like we didn't get to explore them all. It was a beautiful day in LA. We went on our daily routine as per usual. He would go to his meetings giving me time to explore the city. Later we'd meet up for lunch or dinner, depending how long his meetings would take. During our breaks, we would venture out together or fool around at the hotel. Being with Troy brought back so many good memories. I can think back to the Twinkle Towne Musicale and the Spring Musicale that Ms. Darbus was directing. I remember he showed me his secret rooftop place. Sure it was illegal to be on the rooftop, but it gave us time to talk and just be ourselves away from the eyes of the other students. The time we had spent at the country club that was owned by Sharpay and Ryan's parents. I remember working there. I was a life guard. Troy would somehow get promoted, but eventually, we both quit but were happy to be with each other. During our Senior year, there was so much to do in so little time. There was prom, orientation for Stanford, and I thought that was it for us.

Though Troy was so determined to support me. The break up hurt us the most. Now, I'm glad that we were able to push aside all of the bad and reminisce about the good. After all, I was having fun. "How about staying in LA for a few extra weeks?" Troy asked me. We were lying in bed together. I faced him and saw his head was propped up on one arm. He looked down at me with those blue eyes.

"Wouldn't Sharpay be mad?"

"Oh c'mon. These meetings, my job is all for a good cause Gabs. We both need a break from the stress. I mean, after all you're Miss Lawyer now. You deal with tough cases all the time. I'm sure you're relieved to be away from all the desk work. I am." It didn't take him long to persuade me. I agreed to stay a few more weeks. He smiled and leaned in to kiss my lips. He pulled away and told me that he'll be ordering us some breakfast.

Every day after that was similar to the one before. As guilty as I felt for having sex with a married man, I enjoyed the time I had with him. I wasn't sulking back at the apartment or sitting at my desk going over case files. I should be thankful for Troy asking me. Sharpay would call around the same time every day to check in on him. He would answer of course. At the mention of staying a few more weeks in Los Angeles, she got upset. Troy calmed her down and hung up the phone. "Maybe you should just turn off your phone." I suggested. We laid in bed together.

"I would love to, but she will definitely know that I'm seeing someone. I'm doing all that I can to respect her."

"It's Sharpay. I'm sorry, but I really want you to myself right now." I know I was acting a bit selfish, but it was the truth. I do want Troy to myself. I still wish that I was married to him. I wish it was just us and nobody else. I hate that Sharpay is a part of his life now. I wish she just married someone else, like Zeke. I remember back in high school that Zeke Baylor had a huge crush on her. He treated her so well. I wondered if they even went to prom together. They were a good couple. I just wondered what happened to them. "Selfish, but I won't hate you for wanting me." Troy leaned in and kissed my lips. For the first time in a long time, everything was going the way I wanted or so I had hoped.


	6. Finding Out

We were leaving California to go back home in about a week. I didn't want this trip to end. I didn't want Troy to go back home to Sharpay. I wanted him to be here with me, forever and always. I wanted him to be mine again. I didn't know how much it hurt me for him to be with someone else, to _see_ him with another. When I awoke this morning, I felt sick to my stomach and rushed into the bathroom. It reminded me a bit of a few drunken nights in college. Yet, what I was going through at this moment was much worse. It felt terrible. At least I could get over it with some aspirin. This was much different. There has to be some way I can cover this up. Troy entered the room. Guess he was just coming back from his meeting. I flushed the toilet and brushed my teeth before heading out of the bathroom. "How was the meeting?" I asked him.

"Long, dry and I wish that you were there to keep me entertained. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, just tired lately." I didn't want to tell him that I was throwing up. I wasn't exactly sure about what I was dealing with. Maybe I just caught something while we were here. Troy suggested for me to get some rest. He asked me if I had eaten anything. I shook my head. He went over to the phone to order me some food. This wasn't the first time he showed his concern for me when i wasn't feeling well. I remember that he would make me some chicken soup. I don't know who to go for about this. I thought about asking Taylor, but then again, I had a feeling she would tell someone else. I thought about talking with Brandon because he's someone I felt most comfortable confessing my issues. The food was brought up to our room. Troy gave me some food to eat, but I couldn't keep anything down. I was just throwing everything back up. "Maybe you should go and see a doctor." said Troy. I shook my head and refused to get myself checked out until we landed back home in Albuquerque.

"I'll be fine until then Troy. I promise." I could tell that Troy didn't exactly believe me, but he knew how stubborn I was being because I wasn't cooperating with him. He didn't want to force me to do anything. When the day came for our departure from Los Angeles, I had been throwing up for a week. In the back of my mind, there was some maternal instinct that I knew what it could possibly be but I didn't want to accept the idea just yet. We landed at the airport in Albuquerque and Troy escorted me back home to the apartment. "You didn't have to come with me." I said.

"I wanted to make sure you arrived home safely Gabs." Also, he took it upon himself to stay at the apartment until I got better. I don't think I was going to get better any time soon. "I'm worried. Maybe you should go see a doctor." Why was he acting so paternal all of a sudden? I mean, Troy has cared for me numerous times but this was different. Guess he was just concerned for my health since I couldn't keep any type of food down. The next morning just when I could barely eat my breakfast, I threw it up. Apparently my body was rejecting the food I was eating. This had never happened before, even when I was sick. Troy had gone home to see Sharpay because I'm pretty sure that she was worried that he hadn't come straight home after he landed. What if I really am pregnant? I couldn't stop think about the night Troy and I had together in Vegas. It suddenly made me question whether or not he used protection. If I _am_ pregnant, there was no condom involved. Still, it wouldn't hurt to go out and buy a pregnancy test. I felt really odd in going out to buy one. This is not what girls do on an every day basis. What I was most worried about is that my parents were going to find out. If my friends found out, my heart started to race just thinking about it.

The first step was finding out whether or not I'm carrying Troy's child. I drove home after going to the store and buying a test. I begged and hoped that it was just some sickness that I had caught in California. I can't afford to be pregnant now. I followed all of the instructions on the box. The waiting was the worst part. There is a possibility that it could be a false negative or a false positive. Yet, what if the test read positive? I would have to tell Troy. I don't want to bring this news on him. After all, I was the one who had sex with a married man. Once the wait time was over, I checked the test. My hand was shaking when I picked it up. I was afraid that I just might drop it. Let's say that this pregnancy isn't enough proof to show Troy that I'm pregnant. I would still have to go to the hospital and talk with the doctor for certain. Gabs, just take a deep breath. I looked down at the test and saw two lines had appeared on the small screen. I checked the box in order to figure out what they meant. According to the box, I was pregnant. How do I break the news to Troy? Should I just come right out and say it? Or should I lead up to the topic? What would his reaction be? Did he ever plan to have kids someday? I decided to call the doctor's office to set up an appointment before telling Troy, so that I am certain I know what to say to him.

I called the hospital to set up an appointment to meet with the doctor. Later that night, I couldn't sleep. I was too busy thinking about the pregnancy test sitting on the bathroom counter. I was doubting whether or not the test was true. Though, the test wouldn't have to lines on the screen if I wasn't. I drove to the hospital on the scheduled date and consulted with the doctor about the symptoms i was feeling. I told her that I had taken the pregnancy test and what the stated results were. She asked about my cycle. I told her that I was certain that I missed a period. After a few routine tests had been done, she confirmed to me that I was pregnant. My worst nightmare was crashing down upon me. Now I have to figure out how to tell Troy the news, but when?

. . .

It had been a little over a month since Troy and I had come back from our trip. I wasn't showing yet. I wouldn't show until around three months. Guess I was relieved about not showing, for now. I called Troy and invited him over for dinner at the apartment. I wasn't throwing up as much as I had before, but the nauseated feeling was slowly decreasing. For about a month, I was avoiding Troy. He would worry about me like always. It wasn't a requirement to be on constant Gabby-watch. The doorbell rang just when I had finished setting up the dinner table. I walked to the door and opened to answer. "Come on in." I stepped aside to allow Troy to enter the apartment. I closed the door behind him after he entered. We sat down at the table and began to eat.

"You've been ignoring my calls." When did Troy become observant? I apologized to him and told him that I was able to see a doctor. I lied about what she had concluded about me being pregnant. I asked him about work and he didn't give me much of an answer. As we were eating, he looked over at my area and noticed that I hadn't poured myself a glass of wine like I had done for him. This suddenly made him more curious. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?" We were almost finished with dinner. I still wasn't ready to tell him just yet. It was all planned out in my head, but now that time has come to open up to him, I blanked. There was a long silence between us. Dragging it out seemed to be more worse than I had thought. "Troy, I'm pregnant." Again, the silence ensued. When neither of us had spoken up to comment, I stood up and went out to the balcony to get some air. Now that the weight was finally off my shoulders, there was still of what was left from the other room. Just things started to get heated, but I couldn't take any more of it. Troy walked up and stood beside me. He reached out and turned my face towards him. "I know you're worried about what Sharpay will say-"

"I'm glad you told me. I wouldn't want you to deal with this situation all by yourself." He interrupted. Did Troy really want to go through with the plan of the two of us having a child together? He definitely didn't back down from the idea of having a child with me, even though we weren't married. "You and I will do this together. Okay?" I nodded. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest. I was so relieved that he wanted to support me and my pregnancy. We had gone back inside. I showed him the pregnancy test and told him about the recent check up that I had. I wished that he was there with me. I didn't want anyone to think that I was a single-mom who was planning to raise this child on her own without paternal support. Also, I added that I had another checkup and told him the date. "I'll be there." He kissed my lips.


	7. The First Trimester

From what I have been told, the first trimester was usually the most difficult to go through. It was the morning sickness that would make the first three months unbearable. There have been some women who deal with morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy. Glad that it lessened over time. I didn't want to have the disgusting taste of vomit in my mouth. Just the constant brushing of my teeth after each time started to become tedious. I mean, I brush my teeth three times a day but I feel like I also have to rinse out my mouth with mouthwash. When it came time for the next check-up, Troy went with me. The doctor wanted to take a look to see on how the baby was doing and whether or not its development is heading in the right direction. This was when I started to become nervous. By the time I would reach the third month, I would start showing just a bit. "I can't just stay home all day." I sighed. Troy drove me to the hospital. He reached out and placed his hand on top of mine and caressed it gently. I touched my stomach and thought about the so-called baby bump that would appear. I wanted to be over with this pregnancy already. "At least you can explain to your parents and friends when they find out. Sharpay is not going to like it if she ever hears that you and I- She thinks I possibly cheated on her with some French girl."

"What are you going to tell her?"

"Right now, I don't know. If it comes to that point, then I'll come up with something. I can't just blurt out and say, 'Hey Sharpay, I'm having a child with my ex girlfriend.'" I raised an eyebrow at him. He kept his hand firm on mine. I knew what he was about to say and just nodded. We approached the parking lot of the hospital. Troy parked and we got out of the car. We entered the hospital. I checked and sat down in the waiting area with him. I was bouncing my leg up and down. It was a habit that I've been doing since I was younger. Guess I was just anxious about the check-up. I am praying silently in my mind that the baby is going to be just fine and that hopefully there isn't anything wrong with them. "Gabs." he said. I stopped bouncing my leg to look at him. "I know you're worried. I'll be right by your side." He sounded so calm. Maybe he just has a good way of hiding it. Though, there was a sound of panic in his voice when he was talking about Sharpay earlier and what to say to her. My name was called and were lead to a room by the nurse. I sat on the bed. Troy stood by my side and caressed his thumb against my hand.

The doctor entered the room and told me to lay down. I was having an ultrasound to check up on how the baby was doing. The gel felt cold against my skin. My heart was beating against my chest so fast. I was afraid about a lot of things and was constantly asking myself questions in my mind. It was then the doctor announced that our baby was healthy, but we won't know the gender until the next few check-ups. Troy and I were relived to hear the news. The gel was wiped off. I sat up when Troy asked for a picture of our child. Maybe he wanted to put it in a photo album or frame it. There was also a possibility that it would be proof to my parents and our friends that the baby was existent. We walked back to the car. He handed the picture to me as soon as we got in. "It's there for sure." I looked down at the picture. Our baby was still small, but it was growing.

"You'll be a wonderful mother." I put the picture in my bag. I didn't say anything and stared out the window. _A single mother._ I thought silently. "Okay, I didn't mean it like that. Gabriella, I'll do my best to help support our child. I want them to have a father figure in their life too. I know it'll be hard with me working all the time, but I'll be around. I'm not letting you do this alone." As he drove back to the apartment, I could only think of the words 'our child'. It only made me wish that he and I _were_ married. It would be easier to explain the situation to my parents and our friends. We arrived at the apartment and entered. I was getting hungry and began to eat the leftovers in the fridge after warming them up in the microwave. Troy came up behind me and started to rub my stomach. I felt his lips at my neck while I was eating the food. "Troy..."

"Don't resist the temptation Gabs." He whispered in my ear. He kept rubbing my stomach and moved his hand to the hemline of my pants. He began to unbutton them. I gently bit my lip. My pants fell to the floor when he told me to sit on the counter. I pushed the plate away from the area and sat on top. He got in between my legs and reached down. He rubbed me in a slow circular motion. I wondered if having sex while you're pregnant is allowed. His hand had slipped underneath my panties. He slid his finger inside of me. I let out a soft moan and bit my lip. "Mm, Troy... Faster..." I said breathlessly. He did as he was told. My toes curled as I leaned my head back closing my eyes. Gosh, it felt so damn good. Then he pulled his hand away to unbuckle his pants. He pulled my panties down and slid in. He went at a slow pace, which I didn't mind. So badly did I want him inside of me again. I was hesitant on whether or not that this was safe. He pressed his lips against mine and continued at the pace he was going. His phone rang to interrupt what we were doing. He didn't pick up and continued anyway. After he finished, I had to reheat the food and finished eating it. Troy stood behind me as I washed the dishes. He was still half-naked because I felt him getting hard again. I placed the dishes into the dishwasher. "God I wish I married you." Troy said.

I turned around and faced him. I wish that since the very day I became your girlfriend. "Why do you say that? Don't tell me it's because of the hot sex we've ben having." I smirked.

Troy shook his head and smiled, "You are such a beautiful woman Gabs, inside and out. You don't ask too much of me. Besides, I can't imagine having a child with anyone else. This child will be our little secret."

"Well, until Taylor or Chad finds out."

"They won't find out."

"How about an old friend of mine?" I asked him. I remember only mentioning his name a few times throughout our relationship, but the two of them never had a proper meeting.

"Who would that be?"

"Brandon. He can keep a secret. He doesn't know very many people. We could invite our friends over and tell them, if you'd like." After a short pause, Troy agreed and proceeded to pick his pants up from the ground. He put them on and I did the same. I asked him when is the best time to invite them over. He looked down at his phone, probably checking his calendar to see when he was available. "Next Saturday?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's fine." I replied. After all, I am free for the next nine months. I thought sarcastically in my mind. "Are we inviting Brandon and Chad, or all three?"

"I think all three. They are who we feel are the most trustworthy people. It would save us the trouble of telling more people. It would set us up to tell both of our parents because we could base it off of the reaction that we get from our friends."

"What about Sharpay?" Maybe I shouldn't have asked, but Troy nodded. It was safe to say that we should include her. Troy decided that he should just sit down and have a private conversation with her instead. I hope he wasn't going to decide on waiting until our child was born to tell her. He checked his voicemail only to hear that it was Sharpay telling him to come home for dinner. That evening, he left and told me he'll see me next Saturday. I couldn't sleep well that night because I can't help but think about the possible outcomes that could unfold on Saturday. How am I going to explain to my friends about that night in Vegas? I wish things were different. I'm afraid of my friends' reactions. I'm afraid of what they'll say. I can't guarantee things will work out the way I want it to. After all, when does anything ever go according to plan?

. . .

Saturday arrived when I called our friends over for lunch. Troy was already preparing lunch here at my apartment. I was pacing back and forth in the kitchen. "Why aren't they here yet? I called them thirty minutes ago." Troy told me that I was only stressing myself out and that I should relax. I took a deep breath and nodded. He was right. Stress will only make it worse for the baby. I figured that I would sit down on the couch and wait until our friends arrived. The waiting was much worse than the check-up at the hospital. The sound of the doorbell echoed throughout the apartment. I stood to go answer the door and found that all three of them were waiting. "Hey guys, come on in. Troy's in the kitchen." Taylor was the first to enter, followed by the boys. I closed the door and told them to wait in the living room until lunch was ready.

"Troy's cooking? Well, who knew basketball guy could cook." I joined Taylor on the couch. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." I replied.

Chad asked, "Are you?" I didn't know the questioning would start this soon. I was hoping that we'd be all eating at the table. Lunch was served. The five of us gathered around the table getting acquainted with each other. It was weird with both of my exes in the same room, but I trusted Brandon as much as I trusted Troy. Taylor spoke up, "You've been MIA since the day you got back from you trip."

"I know I have a lot to talk about."

"A lot to explain that is." She muttered under her breath. I could tell that she just wanted me to blurt out the answer right away. She didn't like that I kept things from her. What was I to do? How could I have just picked up the phone the day we got back from the trip and tell her I could possibly be pregnant? I wanted to know for sure that I was and that I hadn't caught some flu. "What's going on?" Brandon asked. I wanted Troy to speak up about what happened. I didn't want to be the one to do all the talking. Maybe I should've just told Brandon myself. He would've understood the situation. "I know you're all aware about the trip we went on together. We've been..." He glanced over at me, which implied for me to continue.

"Let's just say things got out of hand and we're dealing with something that's going to affect us both in good ways and in bad."

"Bad how?" Chad raised an eyebrow. He was really good at that. I bit my lip and my gaze shifted between my exes. I couldn't look Taylor directly in the eyes. I had a feeling that I already knew her reaction. "Let's just keep this a secret from Sharpay. She's suspicious about what I was doing during the business trip. She thinks I'm seeing someone." Troy answered.

"What else happened in Vegas Gabs? What didn't you tell me over the phone?" Of course I had told him about my feelings for Troy, but I didn't tell him what happened afterwards. Chad and Taylor wouldn't have guessed that we did something in Vegas. They were both unaware of this. I didn't want to call Taylor that night. Brandon was my first person to call at 2am in the morning. "I might as well just show you guys." I stood and left the room. The baby picture will explain for itself. I came back with the picture of the ultrasound and set it down in front of them. Troy's hand moved to my thigh and squeezed it gently to reassure me that everything was going to be fine. I hoped that he was right. Taylor was the first to ask about it. "You're pregnant?" She had picked up the picture. Of course it wasn't a detailed picture, but it was still enough proof to show that a baby was growing inside of me. Chad grabbed it from her hands to look at it more closely. Brandon looked over Chad's shoulder. Troy had been silent this entire time. He hadn't mentioned a single word since Sharpay's name had been brought up. "Does your mom know?" Taylor turned to both of us. I shook my head in reply.

"Lie." Chad said.

"What?" Troy asked. We all looked at him as if he were crazy. Still, I stayed silent but thought about the idea. It did sound like a good one.

"I can tell her that it's not Troy's, but Brandon's. My mom isn't going to like that Troy and I are having a baby together since he's still married to Sharpay." I said.

"How are you going to pull that off?" asked Taylor.

"We'll pretend to be married before going to see her mom. After all, your mom wouldn't mind seeing me again." Brandon smirked. I rolled my eyes, but there wasn't anything that could go wrong.

"You can't just lie about the baby's father." Troy spoke up.

"You have a better idea?" Troy looked down at his plate. He couldn't argue with Taylor because it was one that he couldn't win. The plan was set. Brandon and I were going to get 'married'. I wonder which news my mom would be most surprised at hearing. Her daughter who married an old childhood friend or the fact that we're having a baby together.


	8. The Second Trimester

Finally I had told my mom the news. She was more surprised at the fact that I hadn't told her that I was married, rather than having a child with Brandon. Now that she knew about the pregnancy and my friends knew, it was up to Troy to tell both Sharpay and his parents. I'm surprised that the plan about Brandon and I being 'married' actually worked, but my mom had fallen for the white lie. At one point in my life, I did dream about marrying Brandon once. Though, it wasn't until after I had moved to Albuquerque and met Troy did that very dream die. "So, how long am I wearing this fake wedding ring for?" I asked Brandon.

"For as long as it takes." The two of us were at my house watching whatever was on television. His arm was around my shoulder. A small part of me wished that Troy was here and not Brandon. "Or as long as it takes for Troy to tell Sharpay the truth." He corrected. I rolled my eyes. I was due for another check-up in one week. I wasn't sure on who I should take this next appointment. Maybe I should ask Taylor to come with since it was going to be a gender reveal appointment. Do I want to know? I remember Troy had mentioned in the past that he's always wanted a boy. Maybe to show him how to play basketball the way Troy's dad showed him. Should I wait until the baby is born to find out? The door bell rang and Brandon stood to answer the door. It gave me time to change the channel because I didn't like the show that we were watching. "Hey, that's a good show." Brandon said. "I have to leave anyway." I stood from the couch to see Troy enter. Brandon had given me a hug and kissed my cheek before leaving. He closed the door behind him on his way out. Why didn't I ever appreciate the time that Brandon _was_ around? It suddenly made me wonder why he was in Albuquerque. Did he move here? "Why don't you get to know him a bit more?" I sat down on the barstool in front of the counter. Troy had put away the groceries he had done for me.

"Oh c'mon Gabs. He's enjoying the limelight. I'm sure you saw the way your mom reacted to the news." My mom did act differently when Brandon had come with me to her house. I think she was a bit more welcoming. Maybe she was just disappointed in Troy when the two of us had broken up. I sighed and heard the jealously in his voice. "This baby is yours, not his." I reminded him as he walked up to me after putting away the groceries. I took his hands and placed them on my stomach. "We created this baby together, not Brandon and I. Okay?" I looked up at him. He nodded and gently rubbed my stomach. I smiled softly as he did so.

"Have to talked to Sharpay?" He leaned against the counter and shook his head. He told me that he didn't know where to begin with telling Sharpay without her immediately freaking out at him. Before I could answer him, I felt immediate pain at the right side of my stomach. I touched the spot. Troy reacted by asking if I was okay. "Yeah, that was some kick." It happened again. This time, I grabbed his hand and placed it on my stomach for him to feel. He smiled as he felt the baby's kicking starting to increase. He knelt down before me and kissed my stomach. "Don't hurt mommy." he said. The kicking subsided and he rubbed my stomach again. He looked up at me. I smiled down at him and reached out to caress his cheek.

"Is it okay if I take Taylor to come with me for the next check-up?"

He nodded, "It's fine. Should I tell Sharpay then?"

"It's better late than never." He stood up and leaned in to kiss my lips. He pulled away and smirked a bit. I wondered why he was smirking. The thoughts that were going through Troy's mind, I honestly didn't want to know. He took me and led me down the hallway to the bedroom. He told me to lay down on the bed. I rested my back against the pillow. He sat down on the bed and started to rub my feet. Why was I blessed with such a caring man?

. . .

Taylor came with me to my check-up. "Troy didn't want to go with you? I mean this would be the biggest moment of your lives, the gender reveal." she said. We got out of the car and entered the hospital. I told her that I decided to give Troy today to tell Sharpay about everything that happened between him and I. I checked in and we sat in the waiting room together. I was called in and entered the room. I was used to the ultrasounds now. The gel still bothered me. It was only the fact that it was always cold and caught me off guard. I heard a small gasp escape from Taylor's mouth. As for me, I was close to being in tears. It was almost as if were yesterday when I saw that my baby was only a few inches long and just barely noticeable. The doctor told me once again that the baby was healthy. Also, we were able to hear the sound of its heart beat. "Do you want to know the gender of your baby or have you decided to wait?" I concluded that I wanted to wait. Taylor was surprised at the fact that I didn't want to know my baby's gender. We got to the car when I told her that I wanted it to be a surprise for Troy and I. We drove back to the apartment. Both Chad and Brandon were waiting outside the house.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked. The four of us entered and closed the door behind us afterwards. Chad explained that Troy had called Sharpay as we were seated in the living room. By the tone of his voice, the conversation between Troy and his wife didn't turn out smoothly. We all knew Sharpay fairly well. She didn't take too kindly to this kind of "news". He also added that Troy was only his way over with her. "What?" I asked.

"She thinks he's lying." said Taylor. I wasn't ready to face Sharpay. I haven't been able to face her since she and Troy started dating. Honestly, I thought I'd be over with the drama that Sharpay has brought into my life. Guess it's almost feeling like high school all-over again. I wanted to lock myself up in my room and never come out, which is exactly I had decided to do. _"Where is she?"_ Troy's voice sounded from down the hallway. It was faint, but audible. An exchange of voices and a sounds of footsteps later, a knock sounded at the door. "Go away." I called out. I didn't have to know it was Troy. Though, he said who it was anyway. I opened the door and pulled him into the room. I closed the door immediately behind him. "They're waiting for you to come out of your room."

"I'm not facing Sharpay." I sat down on the bed. He walked over and sat down beside me. He took my hand and held it in his. He explained to me that he told her everything, but of course Sharpay wants proof. "If she decides to stop talking me and settle for a divorce, I can understand why. The thought has crossed my mind a few times." said he. "Look, at least talk to her. I think... she'll understand. Do you want me to stay in the room with you?"

"No, I can handle this on my own. Just tell her to come in." He nodded as he stood and walked out of the room. Patiently I waited when Sharpay entered the room. She closed the door after entering. It had been at least a few years since Sharpay and I had come face to face with one another. "I know what you're going to say." I told her.

"I'm not mad at you Gabriella." She sat down on the bed beside me. This doesn't sound like the Sharpay I had dealt with back in high school. Maybe she's changed? I didn't know for sure. "When I suspected that Troy was seeing someone else, in the back of my mind I was thinking that it was some random girl he met in Miami. He sounded different over the phone when we were talking. He sounded happier. I know you two are good friends. I know you two had something together, especially in high school. Everyone saw that, including me. Guess I was jealous. Troy had come in at a point in my life when everything seemed to just... fall apart. I saw it as an opportunity, but of course, when he asked me to go on that business trip with him, I couldn't go. My life was slowly piecing itself back together. I was finding myself again. Of course, I don't think things will ever be the same. I think Troy can never let go of his feelings for you, and I respect that with whatever decision he decides to make, I hope you two can hopefully be together again. Also, I hope that we can set aside some of our indifferences and find away to be friends. If not, I completely understand."

I told her that I'll get back to her on that. She congratulated me and Troy. A knock came at the door and Troy's head poked in. Sharpay and I stood. "Is it safe to come in? No catfights or anything like that of the sort?"

"I was just about leave." said Sharpay. She exited the room. Troy entered and closed the door behind him before asking if she was lying. I shook my head. He smiled, "Good." He gave me a kiss on the lips.

"Shouldn't we wait until our friends leave?"

"You're right." He smirked. That night, Troy and I were alone. After Sharpay had been dropped off, Troy came right back. I had sat up in bed wen Troy had gone in bed beside me. I had told him that I decided to keep the gender of our baby a surprise. He said that he didn't mind surprises. "What should we name him or her?"

"Andrew Tyler if it's a boy and Isabelle Blair if it's a girl." I looked at him. He glanced down at my stomach before meeting my eyes. He licked his lips and furrowed his eyebrows together.

"It seems like you've thought about that for a long time." said he.

"A girl can dream right? Do you not like the names? We can change them." He took my hand and held it. He leaned in and kissed my lips while he caressed my hand at the same time. He pulled away and looked into my eyes. "They're perfect babe." Troy smiled. It was only a matter of time until our baby was born. Of course, there was on more trimester. I thought about the last name I would put on their birth certificate. Would I use my last name or would I use his?


	9. The Truth

I couldn't keep the truth from my mom anymore. I had to tell her the truth about Brandon and I not being married. Also, I had to explain to her that I wasn't having a child with him either. I'm sure my mom will understand. "How are you holding up?" Chad asked me over the phone. I told him that I was dealing with a lot of emotional ups and downs. I was craving all sorts of weird food. Most of it was disgusting, but apparently it was delicious and what the baby wanted. I told him that I think I scared Troy away due to my hormonal changes, but soon apologized to him afterwards and explained what was going on. "Eventful, I know. The baby is due sometime in April." I told him.

"You know the due date?"

"I don't think it's definite. The baby could come out a week early or a few days late, who knows." I had a tub of ice cream sat on the counter before me. "Would you and Tay like to join us for dinner?"

"Let me guess, your idea?"

"Troy's. Please say you'll go." said I.

"I'll ask Tay and text you what she says, unless she texts you first." I reminded him to let me know before 6pm this Saturday. I hung up the phone when a knock sounded at the door. I stood up and went to answer the door. "Brandon, hey." I smiled and gave him a hug. I stepped aside to let him in and closed the door after he entered.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I feel good. I've been craving some really weird food, but I guess that's normal from what I read online."

He nodded, "You really want to tell your mom the truth?" He sounded hurt and asked him if he was okay. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed himself a drink. "Don't worry about me Gabs. I'm a big boy."

 _"I didn't think you'd come all this way to see me. Honestly, I thought you'd bail." I shook my head and told him that I would never stand him up. He was one of my really good friends. We had broken up about a month ago. This was the last summer that we were spending together before my mom and I moved to Albuquerque. "We're friends Brandon. I don't think I could ever do that to you." The two of us were at the park. We walked around, just talking. The two of us knew that I would be leaving a few weeks before the start of the new school year. I didn't want summer to end. I wanted to spend as much time as I wanted with him. It was a beautiful evening. The sun was just close to setting. "I wish we didn't have to go our separate ways." We sat down on the bench. I took his hand and held it in mine. I caressed it gently and looked over at him._

 _"Me too." I said. He had been there for me since the very first day I moved into this place. He had been there for me the longest out of all my friends. I couldn't stand to be away from him. "It's only going to be for a short time. Maybe we'll see each other again soon." I was trying my best to reassure him, but nothing was working._

"It's always been my job to worry about you. Besides, if I'm going to tell my mom, I would rather have you with me. I don't want to face anything alone." Brandon reached out and touched my hand. He caressed my cheek and told me that it would be better for me to have Troy there instead. Brandon had moved here to Albuquerque after college. I assumed that it was a way for him to be closer to me. I found it odd because he never decided to talk to me until just recently. "What are you planning to do once the baby is born?" he asked.

"Well, the plan is to change one of the rooms into a nursery." I looked down. He continued to hold my hand. I knew what he was implying, but I didn't choose to give him a direct answer when I didn't know what would happen myself. We hung out together for another hour until he had to leave. He was acting a lot differently now versus when I wasn't pregnant. It seemed he wanted to make up for the lost time when we had gone our separate ways.

That Saturday, Troy and I were getting ready to head for dinner. "So, they're joining us?" I nodded as we head out to his car. I told him that I received a text from both parties. We arrived at the restaurant. Chad and Taylor had met us there. Troy waved them over. "Don't tell us this is a double date." Taylor sat down in the seat across from me. Chad sat across from Troy.

"It's not. It's been a while since the four of us went out together as friends." I smiled. We all ordered our food and drinks. The last time we had gone out as friends was when Troy and I were dating. Our orders were served out to us. It was just like the good old days when we were all just hanging out, forgetting about life's worries. "So, coming clean to your mom?" asked Chad.

"I can't lie to her Chad. I feel guilty about keeping the truth from her. I know that she wouldn't want me to go through this alone."

"You're not alone Gabs. You have Troy." added Taylor. "Also, Chad and I are here as well. We're just a phone call away."

"Brandon too." I reminded her.

"Oh c'mon. We know Brandon's true intentions Gabriella." I raised an eyebrow at her when she spoke. Were the two of them talking to each other? It bothered me that Brandon was started to get to know my friends, but then again, I couldn't exactly stop him. Troy then asked, "He was over at your apartment?"

"He came by earlier in the week to hang out, but nothing happened Troy." I placed my hand on his and caressed it gently. Why does he sound jealous all of a sudden? Is because Brandon and I had dated back in the early days of high school? "Brandon and I broke up before we started dating Troy. We're friends. I'm _allowed_ to see him. You and I aren't exactly together." I stood up and excused myself to go to the bathroom. I was getting fed up with this whole jealousy factor. Troy had no reason to be jealous of him. The two of us weren't dating. Troy wasn't my boyfriend. I have no feelings for Brandon. Dinner didn't go as smoothly as I had planned. Troy drove back to the apartment. We entered and closed the door behind us. "I'm meeting with my mom next week. I thought about asking you to come with me and talk to her. Guess I'll just have to take Brandon." I walked down the hallway to my room and entered the bathroom. Troy followed me as I was undressing. I felt uncomfortable undressing in front of him. Maybe it was the fact that I had a growing up. I heard the door close behind him. "Gabs, I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to make you upset." I turned and faced him. I looked up at him, then leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"I should be the one apologizing. I didn't intend to lash out at you like that. I'm sorry Troy." Troy turned on the water to draw me a bath. I got into the tub and asked him to join me. He got undressed and got in behind me. He leaned against the tub. I leaned against him, resting. "Brandon's jealous of you to be honest. He doesn't get moments like this with me, consider yourself a lucky man Troy."

"I love every moment I spend with you." He spoke in my ear, which did turn me on a bit. He reached down. I felt his hand up against me. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment that we had together. Honestly, I can't imagine having this moment with anyone else.

. . .

Troy and I were on the drive to my mom's house. I was as nervous as the last time. He was holding my hand the entire drive to the house. His thumb caressed the top of my hand to reassure me that it was going to be okay. My heart could not stop racing against my chest. He parked out front. We got out of the car. "You're sure you want to do this now?"

"Better late than ever." We walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. The door opened and my mom was at the door. First she greeted me with a hug and reached to hug Troy as well. Mom smiled, "It's good to see you Troy. Come on in." We entered the house. She closed the door behind us. The three of us walked into the living room and sat down. She asked what our reason for visiting her was. Troy's hand was rubbing my back as I told my mom that I wasn't really married to Brandon. Also, I added that I wasn't having a baby with him either. "It's actually Troy and I that are expecting." I stayed silent, waiting for her reaction. I told her that although Troy was married, I had talked to his wife who was a lot more understanding than I anticipated about the whole thing. My mom was happy for us, but she told us to think about the best situation for the baby. I'm just glad that I can rest easy now that I told her the truth.


	10. The Third Trimester

I had one more month left. One more month until I finally get to see the beautiful being that has been growing inside of me for nine months. I was having some slight back pain. Sometimes my feet were killing me. Thankfully, Brandon was around to keep me company while Troy was at work. He always gave the best foot rubs. "How does that feel?" he asked. I was resting on the couch with my head tilted back. I wanted this baby to come out. I wanted to see their face. I imagined myself holding them in my arms while rocking them to sleep. I know that having a baby isn't just about how cute they are. It's also about tending to their every need and one day it'll all be worth it. A knock came at the door. Brandon stood to go answer the door. "Hey Ryan, long time no see." I glanced over to see that Ryan entered. Ryan Evans was the twin brother of Sharpay. He had become one of my good friends since Sharpay and Troy had gotten married. Apparently, Ryan and Brandon have been hanging out lately since Brandon had moved to Albuquerque a few years ago. It's such a surprise to see Ryan back in Albuquerque. Honestly, I thought he'd be living in New York. I stood up from the couch. Ryan approached me. We gave each other a hug.

"How are you doing?" he asked me.

"Tried, but I'm good."

"Baby's been keeping you up?" Guess he must've heard the news from Sharpay. They were close, of course. I nodded and said that the baby can't wait to come out. I keep telling the baby to just wait one more month. "Sorry, I hope I'm not barging in on anything." I heard a girl's voice in the room. Her voice sounded familiar. She looked familiar as well. It was then I recognized the girl.

"Kels!" I smiled. Kelsi Nielsen was a girl I had known in high school, and also became good friends with. I gave her a hug as she hugged me back. "We have so much to catch up on."

"I bet. Congratulations on the pregnancy." Kelsi smiled. "I'm sure your husband or boyfriend is thrilled."

"Let's be safe and call him my boyfriend. He and I are in a bit of a... predicament right now." The four of us were having lunch together at my house. It had been so long since I have seen my friends. After lunch, Ryan and Kelsi had somewhere to be but wanted me to inform them when the baby arrives. I promised them that they would be one of the first to know. Then shortly after, they left. I think Ryan and Kelsi deserved to be with each other. They had gotten along so well. I'm pretty sure Ryan had a small crush on Kelsi during Senior year. Brandon told me that he had to leave as well. We said goodbye. Again, I was alone at my apartment. It was days like this when I wish I wasn't pregnant and was working. I wouldn't have to worry about going to the bathroom all the time. I blame the baby for pressing down on my bladder. I wouldn't have to worry about eating so much, and then have problems losing all the baby weight I've gained. As much as I want to say that I regret having this baby, I don't.

Troy was working all week. The only times I'd see him was during on the weekends. He would stay with Sharpay throughout the week. I wonder if they're going to divorce any time soon. It wasn't a lot of time for me to spend with Troy, but it was worth it. "I'm ready for this baby to come out." I was sitting on my bed. I had three more weeks until the baby was due. Troy was staying over as usual.

"Mm, is that so?" he asked. He rubbed my stomach. I bet he could feel the kicks the baby was giving me. He still didn't move his hand. I nodded and smiled. "I want to try something. I've read or heard somewhere that sex induces labor. Now, I don't know if that's been proven true."

"You want to have sex with a pregnant woman?"

"Hey now. We've done it once. I'm sure you've thought about wanting to try having sex pregnant too. I mean, _really_ wanting to try it." We may have done it once, but that was earlier during the first trimester when I was more afraid of throwing up than anything.

"I'm just afraid you might-"

"Just a bit, only to try it out. If you don't like it, I have other methods up my sleeves." He interrupted. He was already in between my legs and began to slide my panties off. Just thinking about those other methods made me feel hot. I felt him against me. If I could pin him down and climb on top, I would. It was interesting trying this out for the first time. The next morning I awoke with Troy lying in bed beside me. I was lying down on my side while I gazed at his features. He was such a beautiful man. I have never felt so lucky to "be" with someone. His eyes opened. The sun shone on him. For some reason, it casted the perfect lighting. I was afraid that if he moved, it would ruin the picture. "Morning." His voice sounded so sexy when he woke up.

I smiled, "Morning."

"Were you staring at me?"

"I was gazing. I was also day-dreaming about the future." I got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. I walked out a few minutes later to see that the bed was empty. I called out his name. He called from the balcony outside. I slipped on my panties and threw on my robe. I went out to the balcony to see that Troy's hands were on the railing. "What are you doing out here?"

"I've been thinking... about the future." He looked over at me and looked down. "Specifically ours."

"You think we have a future together Troy? You are married, and for us to raise a baby together is going to be hard enough for us."

"It's not working between Sharpay and I. We... we had this argument two weeks ago. We haven't spoken to each other since. I haven't gone back home and have been staying at Chad's. I think Taylor's fed up with me sleeping on the couch." he chuckled lightly. I reached out and touched his hand. I caressed it gently. I hadn't know about what he was going through until now. I was trying my best at an attempt to reassure him. I haven't seen him this sad since we had broken up. "You are welcome to stay here if you want. If there's anything I can do, just let me know." He nodded as he leaned in and kissed my lips. I was really worried about him. Troy looked happy with her, or so I thought. Guess it seemed like Sharpay wasn't lying about Troy wanting to be with me. Maybe we were really meant to be together. Yet, why didn't he ever want to marry me before? I didn't want to ask Troy about their argument. If possible, I would give him a big hug to prove to him that everything was going to be okay. He pulled away from the kiss and told me that he was going to make me breakfast. He left the room. I took out my phone. If Troy wasn't going to talk to Sharpay, someone would have to. I dialed her number and waited until she answered. "Hey Sharpay, it's Gabriella. Do you want to meet up for lunch?"


	11. It's A

Troy had moved in with me. I am thinking about us moving into a bigger place once the baby is born. Sharpay had kicked him out. I did try to reason with her, but she was so upset and didn't think anything could be fixed between the two of them. Brandon wasn't too excited about Troy moving in. He couldn't have made his feelings for me any more obvious. I know he was just trying to rekindle the old flame, the spark that the two of us shared before I moved to Albuquerque. After all, we have gotten closer since he moved here to be closer to me. Guess I was just blinded by the fact that his feelings for me never really went away. He needed to learn to move on from me. It wasn't my choice to make for him. "Well, that's the last of the boxes." Chad said and set the last one in the living room.

"Thanks for helping." said Troy.

"How are you holding up?"

"I'll manage." Troy sounded relieved that he had somebody like Chad. The two were good friends. That's all Troy really needed right now. This was the week we were all preparing for the arrival of our baby. When our baby will make that appearance, we didn't know. Taylor was keeping Sharpay occupied. Guess they became acquainted with one another during the whole fight between Sharpay and Troy. "How are you doing?" Chad asked. All of us, except Taylor, were gathered at my house in the living room. Today was 'supposedly' the due date of the baby. "Anxious." answering Chad. I rubbed my stomach. I wanted this baby to come out already. I was so impatient. I was sitting on the couch, resting. Troy and Chad were on either side of me. Brandon was sitting on the barstool near the counter. Ryan and Kelsi were sharing the recliner. All of us were just waiting for the baby to arrive. I had excused myself to go to the bathroom.

As soon as I had sat down, I felt a lot of water exit my body. Oh god. I thought in my mind. I called out Troy's name who rushed to the bathroom within seconds. I told him that my water broke and felt sudden pain. "Are you okay to walk?" asked he. I nodded. He left to go tell the others. I was driven to the hospital when the contractions had gotten closer and closer. I didn't want anyone else in the room but Troy. During the moments when I wasn't crying from pain, Troy was by my side. His hand held mine, squeezing it gently to reassure me everything was going to be just fine. The doctor had entered the room to check me and saw that I was fully dilated. She told me that I would be ready to push on the next contraction.

After hours of labor and constant pushing, the baby was finally here. "Congratulations. It's a girl." The doctor announced. Troy cut the cord. The baby was wrapped up and handed over to me to hold for only a few minutes. The baby opened her eyes to reveal that they were the same color as Troy's. Her hair was black like mine. I couldn't have been any more happier and relieved that our baby was here. I was just overjoyed to finally hold the baby I've been carrying for nine months. Eventually, she had been taken from me to be measured and cleaned.

. . .

 _"Where do you see yourself in five years?" I rested my head on Troy's chest. I looked up at him. We were lying together at his place. We haven't really thought about moving in together considering that we were both in high school. Troy's parents - Lucille and Jack - were both out of the house, so Troy and I could be alone. "Well, I'm sure I'll own a business by then. Also, I want to get married." I sat up and turned away from him. I brought up the topic about kids, if he wanted to have them. I felt him sit up beside me. He reached out and turned my face towards his direction. "I wasn't finished. I want to marry you and have you as the mother of my children. I wouldn't care how many we have, and even if we could only have one, I would still love them just the same as loving multiple. Gabs, I don't think I can see myself being with anyone else but you. When I first saw you that night at the Ski Resort and singing with you up on that stage, I knew you had to be the one. Of course there were so many things that interfered with our relationship, but I wasn't going to give up._

 _"I have never wanted a girl more. Now, I know that we're going to different colleges. Let's say, hypothetically, that we were to find someone else. As much as we care about that other person, you know what we feel for each other is a lot stronger than how we feel about other people. I include you in my future plans because I imagine that you're right there beside me and I love you Gabriella." He gazed into my eyes with those blue orbs. I melted underneath his touch. I leaned in and kissed his lips before pulling away._

 _"I love you too Troy."_

. . .

Although some odd years have passed since Troy and I broke up, the future was still bright for us. Even if it didn't go the way we planned, I was happy with what I have. Again, our baby was brought to us crying. She had quieted down as soon as she was in my arms again. A nurse asked us for her name. Troy and I hadn't thought about what her last name would be. It was then I had decided to go with- "Isabelle Blair Bolton." The nurse had written down the name. Soon everyone had left the room to give Troy and I a moment alone with our daughter.

"You do know her name's not going to change." He sat on the bed beside me. Our sweet Isabelle was fast asleep in my arms.

I smiled, "I know, but she's your daughter."

"A beautiful one, just like her mother." he smiled. He knew the right words to say to make me blush, even after pushing out a 7 lb. baby. A knock came out the door when Chad's head poked in. He asked, "Can we see her?"

"She's asleep, so keep quiet." Chad entered the room and was followed by everyone else. Troy was congratulated by his friends, but Brandon hadn't said a word. "Do you want to hold her?" Glances went from me to him since he was standing awkwardly near the window. Brandon looked over at the others before meeting my eyes. He seemed unsure about whether or not he should hold her. He slowly walked over. I handed Isabelle over to him as he took her in his arms. "Her name is Isabelle." I told him. He looked worried that he was going to drop him. I noticed that Troy had looked over at the two of them. He is going to have to learn that I want Isabelle to know Brandon too. "Look at that, you're an Uncle." joked Chad. Troy's gaze immediately shifted over to Chad. Guess he didn't like that, but I didn't mind.

Isabelle's eyes opened. She was looking up at Brandon. She was curious about the man who was holding her. I yawned, which meant that everyone had to leave the room. One of the nurses came in and said that she had to take Isabelle to the nursery. "Troy." I said before he left the room with everyone else. He turned and looked at me.

"Be nice to Brandon, please?" He nodded and went over to kiss my forehead before telling me to get some rest. He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. When I awoke, I was told by one of the nurses I could go and see Isabelle at the nursery. As I approached the area, Brandon was standing in front of the glass that separated us and the babies. He was looking at Isabelle who was sound asleep while some of the others were crying. "Hey Brandon." Brandon turned his head and smiled when he saw me. "Where's Troy?"

"He's asleep in the waiting area." he answered. I nodded and looked over at my daughter. She was so precious. I was told I could take her home tomorrow. I asked him if he was okay. Brandon looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep. Seeing him like this worried me. He told me not to worry about him before giving me a smile and walked away. I sighed and glanced over at Isabelle. There was something about the way he looked at her when he had held her earlier. It was almost like the way he looked at me, but he had this paternal figure look about him I hadn't seen before.

. . .

Troy and I were finally able to take Isabelle home. He carried her into the nursery and set her down in the crib. We exited her room, leaving her to sleep while we retreated to the bedroom. "I think something is wrong with Brandon." I said. Troy had taken out a new pair of clothes from the dresser to change in.

"You're worried about him?"

"He's an old friend. He hasn't been himself lately. I just think he's not actually 'here.'"

"Don't tell me you're in love with him." I could tell by the tone of his voice that he wouldn't be too happy if I was in love with Brandon, which I wasn't. I had this weird feeling. I shook my head and told him that wasn't the reason. "Just let him be Gabs." I nodded, but still, I wanted to make sure that Brandon was okay.


	12. Irreplaceable

After being on maternity leave, I was able to go back to work. "It's good to see you." Luke Mathews was one of my co-workers and good friend. He was one of the first people to greet me when I arrived. He hugged me and I returned the hug. I remember when I first worked at the company, I had developed a small crush on him. "You too!" He was so sweet; and we got along instantly. He mentioned that he had heard I had a kid. Luke and I were in the lounge having lunch. I nodded and told him the rumor was true. He congratulated me and I thanked him. I showed the picture of my daughter, Isabelle. "She's just as beautiful as her mother." smiled he. I was certain that at some point Luke had a crush on me as well, or still does.

"I can't wait for you to meet her." I told him.

"I'd love to meet her." he said. After work, I drove home and entered. Taylor and Chad were over at the house babysitting. The two of them had started dating. It was a surprise to me that they'd end up being a couple. "You should pay us to babysit your daughter." Taylor smirked. I rolled my eyes and set my stuff down. I walked into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. The week wasn't over yet, and I was already tired. Though I guess that's the life of motherhood. I was so relieved that our friends were able to watch our daughter while Troy and I were at work. As much as I had wished for Luke to see Isabelle, my friends didn't know him that well. One weekend, Troy was enjoying his day off by helping with Isabelle. My phone rang and I picked up. "Hello?"

"Gabs, it's Brandon. I was wondering if you'd like to meet for dinner tonight. Say around 7?" he asked. Troy was oblivious to the conversation I was having on the phone. I nodded and told him that I'll see him then. He told me where to meet him and hung up the phone afterwards. Troy asked who had called when entering the kitchen, holding Isabelle. I told him that it was Brandon who wants me to meet him for dinner. I couldn't lie to him. It was hard enough as it is for him to lie to Sharpay about our daughter. He didn't look happy at the mention of Brandon's name. "Isabelle seems fond of him." I said.

"He doesn't come over and visit." Yeah, when you're not around. I thought sourly. Though, I haven't seen Brandon at all since Isabelle's birth. We were close, but now it seems as though we hardly speak to each other these days. I wasn't sure what the occasion was. Brandon never really went into specifics about the dinner. Guess what I was already wearing seemed appropriate. I mean after all, we were two old friends having dinner together. There was no harm in that. I drove out to the restaurant and parked in the lot. Brandon texted me that he was waiting for me inside when I had arrived. "Hey Brandon." I smiled when I entered the restaurant.

Brandon looked different. He had grown out his facial hair. Though his hair was still the same, but a few inches longer. He looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep lately, which led me to assume that something was going on. A waiter approached our table and asked what I would like to drink. I told him that a glass of water would be fine for now. I was handed a menu before he walked away. "How are you?" asked Brandon.

"Good, just tired." The waiter came back with my glass. I told him my order and handed the menu back to him. I took a drink from the glass. "Troy's been such a great help. We both work, so we ask Tay to babysit. Chad comes over as well sometimes. Clearly, Troy's starting to become father material. It's hard for me to imagine doing all of this by myself, having a job and a baby." Brandon nodded and looked down. Something was definitely on his mind. He had been silent for sometime. I knew he wouldn't tell me a thing, unless I coaxed it out of him. He's almost never quiet. I mean he's always telling me stories about what is going on in his life. The silences was all new to me. "Is everything okay?" He muttered that things were fine and continued eating.

"I'm concerned Brandon."

"I know that Brie." This time he sounded a bit harsh, as if he was on edge. What did I do? I was trying to reach out to him as a friend, except sometimes my maternal instincts would kick in. Maybe I should just let him breathe for a minute. I reached out and touched his hand to reassure him that it was okay for him to open up to me. Brandon looked at my hand placement before his eyes met mine. I had almost forgotten how blue they were, especially when he looked sad. "Talk to me, please?" Despite him acting out this way, I could see the truth in his eyes. He pulled his hand away and took another bite of his meal. He was acting like a child, stubborn. "I have to know what's going on with you."

"Why? So you can give me advice like always? I don't _want_ your advice Gabriella. I don't need it. I don't think you will understand what I'm going through. So, stop asking." Brandon got up from his seat and exited the restaurant. There were people in the restaurant who glanced over at the table. I paid our bill and followed him outside. I called out his name many times. He still didn't answer me. He didn't turn to look at me at all. Why was he so upset? "Brandon, talk to me. As your friend, I need you to tell me what's going on." Brandon was walking in the direction of his car when he stopped. He didn't move from his spot for a few seconds. He turned around and walked up to me. He pressed his lips to mine. I resisted the kiss at first. His hands were on my cheeks to stop me from moving.

Finally I was able to push him away. My heart was being so loud in my chest. I could barely hear myself think. "I love you Brie. I don't think I could love anyone else more than I love you. The day your daughter was born. You asked me to hold her, and she looked up at me with those eyes. Those big brown eyes and... and I was jealous. No, _more_ than jealous. I hate him. I hate Troy for having you, being with you. I thought that once he was married that when I came back, we could start over. No, you told me you had feelings for him and my heart sank. You always had feelings for him and never for me. You saw me as a friend and nothing more Gabriella. You chose someone else when I chose you.

"What he did to you is something I would've never done. From the second you told me you told me that you had feelings for him, I knew that I would never be able to be with a girl like you. I couldn't have you. It hurt. It hurt you didn't love me the way that you loved him. When we broke up, you enjoyed your life; and I was left miserable. Excuse me for saying this, I wanted you to be mine. I wanted to marry you, have kids with you, and grow old with you. Yet, you didn't see that future with me."

I stood before him, listening to him. Brandon was hurting, and he didn't want me to know about it. He kept it from me. "I _did_ see that in you when we were together at some point. I thought I'd end up marrying, but people cha-"

"Gabriella, you know I don't give a crap about that. I was there for you throughout your entire pregnancy. I was by your side to make sure that you were okay. I was looking out for you when you needed someone. Just like you had done for me in the past. I wanted to make up for the lost time we had spent apart." he interrupted. I reached out and puled him into a hug. I felt his arms wrap around me and tears on my shoulder.

"My love for you will never die Brandon." I pulled away and looked into his eyes. "You and I will always be together, but as friends. You are the one person I cannot replace, not even Troy can replace you. So don't you ever think for one second that I don't need you or that I'm better off without you. We both know that I'm not as strong. You are my closest guy friend, and I _need_ you. I want you to be there for Isabelle. Promise me that." Brandon nodded, and the two of us hugged again.


	13. The Heart Wants What It Wants

"Happy birthday my sweet Isabelle." Isabelle stood up in her crib. I picked her up and kissed the top of her head. Troy had gone out to pick up the birthday cake while I was home dressing her for her party this afternoon. It had been over year since the incident in Vegas but having Isabelle made life worth while. Troy and Sharpay finalized their divorce. Guess Sharpay couldn't take anymore of the arguing she and Troy have been having lately. I'm glad that Isabelle was able to have a full-time dad around.

Luke finally got to meet Isabelle at a Christmas party our company had set up. He's now known as Uncle Luke. Isabelle was quite fond of him when they met. He's fond of her as well. Now I know who to invite over to have play date with. Luke is currently dating a girl that works with us. Her name is Genevieve. We called her Gen. Luke told me that he plans on asking her to marry him on New Year's. I told him that was a bit cliché, so he's asking her today. I'm happy he's found someone who suits him, not that I don't. I don't want him to deal with the whole baby drama. Isabelle likes Gen as well.

Gen buys Isabelle plenty of clothes, which I don't mind. Isabelle was growing fast anyway. Troy and Luke were starting to become friends as well. I'm relieved that Troy was making new friends, other than having Chad as his best and only friend. Ryan and Kelsi had gotten engaged last summer. I was invited to their wedding, well more like I was part of the bridal party by being a bridesmaid. I wouldn't miss Ryan's wedding. It was good knowing that they were still going strong. Ryan was a lot like family to me. Both his family and Sophia's were able to meet Isabelle. Though Sharpay was still indifferent about meeting Isabelle.

Isabelle wasn't too shy about meeting people. She was curious about everyone. She didn't get that from me. Taylor and Chad are now married. They're living together. The downside is that we're neighbors. Actually, they live a few houses down the street, but I still consider them neighbors. I'm not complaining. At least I get to see them almost every day. I was told they have a surprise for us but never mentioned the specifics. I have an idea of what their exact surprise was. I would rather wait for them to tell us.

I carried Isabelle out to the backyard where everyone had gathered. "There's the beautiful birthday girl." Troy took her from me and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Our parents were here to celebrate. Almost everyone was here. Brandon hadn't shown up, even though I personally told him myself about the birthday party. He had been keeping quiet since the dinner. The last time we spoke was about Isabelle's party. Other than that, I don't know what he's been up to. He was such a big part of my life, and he did promise to be a part of Isabelle's. Everyone's voices disappeared into the background as I reentered the house.

The cake was on the kitchen counter. All I could think about was Brandon. "Why aren't you out there celebrating?" Ryan entered the kitchen. He had noticed me walk inside. I didn't answer him. He reached out and gave me a hug. I couldn't let myself cry again, not this time. Today was my daughter's birthday. I couldn't be sad today. I promised myself that. He rubbed my back to reassure that everything was going to be okay. We both knew it wasn't. Ryan pulled away and told me to put on a brave face for my daughter. I nodded and watched him leave the room to join the party. I mustered enough smiles to enjoy the party. Everyone was smiling and laughing. Though, I couldn't lie to myself. I was pretending to be happy when I really wasn't.

Finally it was time to blow out the candle. I brought out the cake. Everyone started to sing, and then the candle was blown out. Pictures were taken of Troy and I together with Isabelle to have a family portrait. My friends, they knew. They knew that behind my fake smiles, something was wrong. No one questioned me. They didn't want to bring it up because they knew it would ruin this happy time.

* * *

 _"Isabelle's first Christmas, definitely should save this one." I smiled down at the photo. All of us were at my house celebrating Christmas together. Our friends and family gathered under one roof. Troy smiled and kissed my cheek, "Agreed." It was time to open up all of the presents. We were all around the Christmas tree. Isabelle was in Troy's lap. Everyone was taking turns opening up their presents, which we had spent almost a week shopping for and wrapping. Isabelle had the most. She was spoiled, but we loved her. At least each of us had a present we could wear, but I wanted something else. I wanted... someone._

 _Our group was not as whole. It wasn't the same. No one mentioned his name but underneath the tree were his presents that sat untouched. Today was his birthday - Christmas Eve. Everyone had said their goodbyes when the party ended and left. Troy and I were in the dining area talking after putting Isabelle to bed. "What are we going to do about those?" Troy motioned over to the remains presents under the tree. I told him I'm keeping them in the closet, in case Brandon came by to pick them up. Troy and I were both drinking hot chocolate. "You sure babe?"_

 _"I'm not throwing them away or giving them to someone else. They were bought specifically for him." Troy didn't say anything. I took another sip from my mug, only thinking about where Brandon could be. Why didn't he call? Why didn't he show up to see his niece? The silence started to grow between the two of us. "He's not going to come back. You know that." I wanted to slap Troy for saying that. Though, he was right. Brandon wasn't going to come back, ever._

* * *

I was full of self-doubt that night. I had lost all hope to think he'd come back. The Christmas presents sat idly in my closet, just waiting to be opened. I remember a few times I would stare at them and think to give them away. I don't do it. I closed the door behind the guests on the way out after telling them to drive safely. Harry and I were alone to clean up the mess from the party. I went to give Isabelle a bath and dress her for bed. After everything had been cleared, I heard a knock at the door. It was late. I wasn't expected anyone else to come over at this time. I asked Troy if Sharpay had come over to talk. He said they haven't spoken since their divorce was finalized.

As I opened the door, there _he_ stood before me. "Brandon?" Brandon never got rid of the facial hair on his face. It suited him. He gave a soft smile and asked if he could come in. I nodded and stepped aside. He entered. Troy retreated to the bedroom because I heard the door close. I closed the front door after Brandon had entered. I asked him if he would like something to drink. He said water would be fine. I grabbed him a glass and put water in it before handing it over to him. He sat down at counter when I did. It was odd to see him for the first time in a year. "You look great." said he. I thanked him and told him he didn't look too bad himself. Still to this day, Troy would avoid Brandon. I don't know why he couldn't be okay with talking out here with him.

Though, maybe he figure that it'd be better for the two of us to talk alone. I poured myself a cup of coffee that had been brewed earlier. He thanked me for the glass of water and took a sip. "How've you been?" I asked.

"Good, just working. How about you?"

"Well, it's been better now that Troy's around to take care of Isabelle on his day-offs. He and Sharpay finalized their divorce." I took a sip of my drink. Brandon nodded but didn't say much. He was acting the way he was back at the restaurant. "Exactly, why are you here Brandon?" Brandon looked at me as if offended. Though, the reaction didn't last long. He hesitated before he stood and headed to the backyard. I followed him. The two of us sat in the chairs out on the patio. It was a beautiful but quiet night.

"I'm sorry about what happened the day after Isabelle was born. I tried to move on from you to be honest and live a life without you. It was then I realized that I needed you in my life. You have been a crucial part that I couldn't forget you and let you go. You were happy to have everything you ever wanted. You had someone to love you and a daughter to love. Your eyes would light up when you talked about Troy; and the way you looked at him tore me apart. When you only saw me as a friend, it made matters worse. I know we dated in the past, but I was stuck in the friend zone. I thought that if I explained how I felt about you at that dinner, things would be different. They weren't. Nothing changed between us because it was too late for me to change anything.

"I wanted to go to the Christmas party. Yet, I didn't want to see you amongst all of your closest friends. I was going to feel like I didn't belong there. I didn't want to ruin the moment. I wish that I had mustered up enough courage to talk to you after ignoring your calls and texts. You left many messages on my phone, worrying over me. Then you stopped. I started to think you didn't care. I thought you didn't care about where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing. I still remember the last message you left me. You were crying. I was an idiot for not reaching out to you when I should've. I've been a terrible friend, especially to you Gabriella. I don't know what kept me from not seeing you sooner, from not talking to you sooner. I should've Gabs, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I put you through all the constant worrying. I'm sorry that things haven't worked out the way you want things to.

"I'm sorry I stopped caring, even when you didn't. I've made mistakes in the past that I don't regret. Yet, the biggest mistake I regret is losing you." He looked down and looked away. He muttered words telling me that he had to go. He got up and headed back inside. He made his way towards the door. While I was listening to him talk, it suddenly got me thinking. I stood and followed him. "You never lost me Brandon." His back was turned to me. Though when he turned around, I couldn't look him directly in the face. I was afraid to see his true reaction. I did not hear the door open. "I missed you at Christmas. I thought... I thought I lost you and you were gone forever." I was trying to hold back the tears from falling. They fell anyway.

Finally I was able to meet his gaze and saw that he had tears in his eyes as well. Brandon rushed over to me and pressed his lips against mine. His arms wrapped around my waist. This time, I did not resist. I did not push him away. I wrapped my arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. Shortly after, he pulled away. "I thought you were in love with Troy."

"I am. My heart always chose you Brandon."


	14. The End?

Eventually Troy proposed. Today was the day we were getting married. Isabelle had just turned three years old. We waited about a month after our daughter had turned three. We didn't want our wedding to fall near her birthday. It wouldn't be fair to her. Chad was Troy's Best Man with Taylor as my Maid of Honor. Luke and Ryan were the groomsmen. Gen and Kelsi were the bridesmaids. Isabelle was our flower girl. Chad and Taylor's one-year-old son, James was the ring bearer who had to be carried down the aisle. The two of them were expecting another child, so was Gen and Kelsi (both carrying their firsts). We all betted to see whose baby would be born first. Technically I won't that bet.

A knock came at the door. I went over to answer. My friends were all taking their positions while I was waiting to take mine. I opened the door and was surprised to see that it was Brandon. "Brandon, hey." I smiled. I stood aside. He entered the room. He complimented me. I blushed and thanked him by giving him a hug. We pulled away from the hug. Brandon and Troy were finally friends. I'm glad that they were able to put their differences aside. "Your dad wanted me to ask if you were ready." said he. I told him that I was nervous. I know that I'll be able to get through this day, now that Brandon was here.

* * *

 _One Month Ago._

 _"Happy birthday my sweet." Isabelle was celebrating her 3rd birthday. Just three years ago, I remember the day that she was born. It's crazy that's she's growing up so fast, except I was celebrating her birthday alone. Troy was on a business trip. I promised I would take pictures of her birthday so he'd feel like he was there for her birthday. She was getting fussy when I was putting on her clothes. When I managed to get her clothes on, the door bell rang. I carried her in my arms to go answer the door. Brandon arrived with the cake. "Thank you for picking up the cake." I stood aside when he asked me where he should put it. I told him to place it in the kitchen on the counter. Brandon entered and walked to the kitchen._

 _Finally everyone had arrived for the party. I was able to leave Isabelle with my parents to relax. "You looked stressed." said Brandon. I told him that I was. Without Troy, the entire house was hectic. Brandon came up behind me and started to massage my shoulders. It felt so nice, that I started to close my eyes for a moment. Everyone was outside having fun with the party while I was inside. "Wow, I didn't know you were an expert at giving massages." I teased._

 _In just a month, I was getting married to Troy. It was finally the right time for us to finally have the life that we both wanted. Though, lately I began to notice how frequently Brandon came over to visit. He was so willing to help. It was hard for me to say no to him. I only ever appreciated his help when I needed it. "Oh, I'm just good with my hands, that's all." Brandon chuckled lightly and pulled his hands away. It was then I felt him trail them down my body. The two of us were standing behind the counter. I was getting the cake prepared to be blown out. His hand found their way to the front of my pants. He slipped his hand underneath my pants and panties. Oh my god. My breathing quickened, as did my heart. "Brandon..." I said breathless._

 _I reached down to stop his hand by grabbing his wrist. The truth was that since Isabelle was born, Troy and I never really bothered to try for another kid. It's not that we didn't want anymore kids or think that one kid was enough. We both had busy lives and couldn't have the availability of our friends to babysit. Gen and Kelsi were both expecting. Taylor was pregnant again with her second child. My friends were all occupied with their lives that I couldn't just have another child and become a stay home mom. I wanted to wait until Isabelle was going to school to have another. Troy agreed with me on that decision. "No one's watching." Brandon whispered into my ear._

 _Now, Brandon had been such a great help, especially with Isabelle. He had offered to be her babysitter and offered to drive her to daycare when I or Troy were unable to. Also, he would offer to pick her up from daycare as well, which I didn't mind. He was suddenly always around the house when Troy was busy with work. He had grown close to Isabelle that he started to become her second father, in a sense, rather than her Uncle. "Please... not now..." I told him. Brandon pulled his hand out. It was time for me to bring the cake out. I placed the candle in the middle of the cake and lit it. I carried the cake out to the backyard._

 _After everyone had left and I was once again stuck to clean everything up, Brandon stayed to help. He didn't need to, but he insisted and I couldn't refuse. Because Troy was on his business trip, I'd spend nights alone in bed. These nights were suddenly quiet because Isabelle would sleep soundly in her crib. I was relieved of not having to wake up in the middle of the night anymore, but the bed felt empty. "Thanks for staying." I said. "You know, to help with the clean up."_

 _Brandon nodded, "Anytime Gabs. I'm happy to help." The two of us were having a glass of wine and were on the couch in the living room. We couldn't watch TV because the noise would wake Isabelle. I smiled softly, and the smile soon_ _disappeared afterwards. "What's wrong?"_

 _"I'm getting married in a month."_

 _"Yeah, I know. I'm happy for you, you know." It was the way Brandon looked at me with his blue eyes that made me think back to the reason why I had fallen for him those years ago. I was just happy to have my old friend back, facial hair and all. I thanked him and looked down. I don't know what came over me, the wine or old feelings were coming back. I should blame it on the wine. I had two glasses. I found myself leaning in and Brandon returning the kiss. After that, it was all a blur._

* * *

After the wedding ceremony, Troy and I were driven to the reception. We were announced to the guests as Mr. and Mrs. Troy Bolton. I could not believe my dreams were finally coming true. All of my friends and family were ecstatic. That evening, Troy and I were in bed together. Isabelle was with Taylor and Chad. "Is this the dream you've always wanted?" Troy asked. He was laying down on his side. I was doing the same. I was looking into his blue colored eyes and smiled.

"Better than any dream I've ever had that it's almost surreal."

Troy smiled and leaned in to kiss my lips. "I love you Mrs. Bolton."

"I love you too Mr. Bolton." We bid each other good night. I fell asleep in his arms. I had been keeping a secret that neither my friends or Troy knew about. My parents didn't know either, his parents included. I feel like I should've told Troy the truth when he came home from his trip two weeks ago. Maybe it's too soon to tell him. I'll wait until after our honey moon. How do I tell him? How should I surprise him with the news? How do I explain that I'm... pregnant.


End file.
